Amritsar, December 22
With dense fog engulfing the district, there has been a spurt in the number of incidents of throwing of prohibited material inside Amritsar Central Jail here. The jail is surrounded by densely populated localities and dense fog came as a blessing for unscrupulous elements to throw the material without any threat.
On the other hand, such incidents have become a headache for the jail authorities who are already feeling helpless in checking sneaking of prohibited material in the high-security complex.
On Thursday, jail staff confiscated 153 bundles of bidies, 15 packs of tobacco, 3 packs of cigarettes, five keypad mobiles, 10 packs of pan masala, two mobile chargers and three heater springs, besides 14 packets of rice papers from inside the jail premises. The prohibited material is believed to be thrown by miscreants from outside the jail. The same was handed over to the Islamabad police for further action.
Similarly on Tuesday, jail staff found unclaimed 133 bundles of bidis, five heater springs, a headphone, a charger and data cable, all thrown from outside, besides confiscating two mobiles phones from two prisoners.
On Wednesday, two mobile phones were seized from two prisoners.
Concerned over the rising instances of throwing the material during the foggy season, Punjab Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains has directed to conduct regular surprise checking in order to nail the violators and seize the prohibited material.
A jail official said the jail staff had already been asked to remain alert and carry out surprise checking on a regular basis which led to continuous seizures.
Sources said the banned materials, including cigarettes, bidies and mobile phones, are sold at higher prices in the jail complex by prisoners.
