Crumbling, faulty walls make prisons porous

PANJIM, SEPT 3
The crumbling walls of the State’s oldest fort-turned-jail or the faulty walls of the newly constructed Sada sub jail are the stuff of harrowing tales of porous prisons every time inmates flee.
The authorities themselves maintain that the Central jail at Aguada is ageing. The recent collapse of cell number one where notorious drug dealer David alias Dudu Driham was lodged, paints a grim picture of this jail, which was once a highly secured place.
Jail sources confirmed that three prisoners – two Israeli undertrials and a local accused – were shifted to another cell after the cell crumbled unexpectedly.
With the proposal for the Colvale central jail hanging fire, the authorities have to make do with the existing prisons which are highly prone to jailbreaks. Also, the role played by jail staff in letting the prisoners loose adds up to the problem.
Sada sub jail is already in the limelight for all wrong reasons after three prisoners – double-murder convict Hitler Fernandes and undertrials Abhijit Patil and Seby Ferrao wanted for murder and theft, respectively – dug a hole in its wall and escaped. Abhijit was traced and arrested.
Additional Inspector General of Prisons M P Porob said that the sub jail is undergoing a facelift. “The basement cells of Sada jail, which comprises of three big and one small prison cells, are under renovation,” he said.
The building built of bricks will now have an additional concrete wall constructed, giving no chance to prisoners to escape.
“It is very easy to dig a hole into the wall made of bricks but the same will not be the case for concretised blockades. After this construction, if any body tries to dig a hole, they will fall in the gap between the old wall and new sturdy wall,” said a source.
The Sada jail escape had led to suspension of two assistant jailors Uday Shirodkar and Manuel Travasso and jail guards Vasu Pednekar and Dilip Gunelarkar.
The history of jail breaks stares at the authorities, who have miserably fail to arrest the fleeing jail birds.
In 2007, on Ganesh Chaturthi day, 14 prisoners from Margao judicial lock up fled from their respective jails. Seven were later traced and arrested and rest are roaming scot free .
Ironically, the Sada jail has no jailor and a head guard. Deputy Collector Levinson Martins told Herald that they have deployed three special staff to maintain strict vigil over activities within the premises.
Vasco Sada jail presently accommodates 28 convicts, 62 undertrials and 37 accused on remand. Whereas, Aguada jail has camped a total 183 accused as against the present capacity of 154.
Aguada has currently lodged seven female convicts, 17 undertrials and five remand accused while remaining of the total – 154 prisoners are male convicts. While, the number of prisoners lodged in Sada jail is equal to the total 150 prisoner capacity of jail, of which 24 are convicts and 10 foreigners.
A murder convict, Ramesh Jadhav serving life sentence at Aguada had escaped on March 23, 2006. He was traced and arrested thereafter.
Apart from the escape episode, one accused from Aguada jail – Obi Okafor who attempted suicide last Thursday is still undergoing medical treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim.
Two accused from Aguada and Mapusa lock-ups are taking treatment at the Institute of Psychiatric and Human Behaviour at Bambolim even as three accused from Mapusa jail have been shifted to outstation jails – two at Karwar district jail at Karnataka and one at Tihar Jail in Delhi.
Corruption among some prison guards is one amongst other factors leading to prohibited actions occurring in jails, which according to a senior officer, is common in other State jails, as well. Porob claimed  that strict actions are taken if the illegalities are brought to his notice.
Asked if the the number of escapes were taking a toll, the officer only replied “Nobody wants to be confined behind four walls.”
Inspector General of Prisons Mihir Vardhan told Herald that they organise regular extra curricular activities for all prisoners to keep them occupied. “We hold festival celebrations, cultural events and workshops. Besides, we keep them engaged through various classes including tailoring, book binding, printing, paper art, handicrafts, carpentry, mess and bakery in the jail premises,” he said.