Crackdown on prison contraband underway, says Minister Parameshwara
Tumakuru (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said the state government has initiated stringent measures to curb the supply of contraband, including ganja and mobile phones, in prisons across the state.
He said the government had taken serious note of illegal activities originating from Parappana Agrahara jail and spreading to other prisons, prompting immediate administrative and technological interventions.
“For many days, as you are aware, in Parappana Agrahara Jail, they had been supplying ganja to several prisons across the state, and were also providing mobile phones. Such activities had come to the notice of the government,” he said.
To address the issue, the government appointed senior officials to investigate and take corrective action. “At that time, we felt that all this must be curbed by appointing a senior officer — to find out why this is happening and who all are involved, including whether any of our own personnel are involved,” he said.
The minister said the appointment of Alok Kumar as Director General of Police (Prisons) had begun yielding results, with increased detection of violations.
“After he took charge, these issues have been increasingly coming to light in all prisons. The police have also been conducting surprise raids and making detections,” he said.
Highlighting structural reforms, he said advanced surveillance systems have been introduced.
“These CCTV systems are equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) cameras that can even capture audio -- I mean conversations can also be heard at the headquarters,” he added.
He asserted that the government’s intent was to eliminate such activities entirely and ensure accountability within the prison system, warning of strict disciplinary action against erring staff, including dismissal from service.
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Two incidents of betting over IPL cricket matches in Mysuru: Five men arrested
Mysuru: Police have arrested five people in two separate cases where betting for the IPL cricket matches was going on, and have confiscated various equipment used by the arrested men for the illegal activity.
In the first case, Hebbal Police arrested two men who were reportedly found betting during the IPL cricket matches, and have confiscated one laptop and three mobile phones from the arrested men.
The arrested men are identified as Pradeep (39) and Praful (21) of Naidu Nagar.
The police team is learned to have conducted the operation on the third floor of a hotel within the Hebbal Police Station limits on getting information of betting over the IPL matches going on. The gamblers allegedly were getting citizens to invest money online and betting illegally on IPL matches over mobile phones and laptops in order to illegally earning money from them.
Pradeep and Praful were taken into custody by the police who have filed a case and are investigating it.
The second incident occurred near the Town Hall on Thursday, May 7, when Devaraja Police arrested three men who were gambling.
The police have arrested Kumar (33) of Mandimohalla, PV Vinod (32) of Ilava and Likhith Kumar (27) of Paduvarahalli.
The three men were reportedly carrying out their criminal activity inside a car parked behind the Town Hall on Thursday, in order to earn money from the IPL tournament through a mobile phone. They were also found to have gotten citizens to invest money online and off-line in the cricket matches.
They were found and arrested by policemen who were on beat in the area near the Town Hall. In addition, one car, Rs 15,900 in cash and three mobile phones were seized from them.
A case has been registered by the Devaraja Police officers, who are investigating the case.
