PANJIM: In an attempt to ensure fool-proof security within and outside the jail premises, Prisons Department wants the Goa Police to impart training to jail guards and IRB personnel on security including how to thoroughly frisk prisoners and visitors.
The proposal comes following a government report into the spate of incidents on the alleged smuggling of drugs, mobile phones and even pornography into prison campuses. Inspector General of Prisons F O Hasmi confirmed the submission of the proposal to Director General of Police T N Mohan.
“The orientation program will essentially cover overall security including the periphery of the jails, efficient frisking and other aspects. The jail guards and IRB personnel will also be exposed to positive vibes through soft skills training,” he told Herald.
In March 2013, the government had ordered an enquiry over an expose in which one of the undertrials at the Sada sub-jail filmed the alleged availability of alcohol and cigarettes inside the jail. The video filmed on a mobile phone allegedly showed that inmates had access to tobacco products and alcohol within the jail.
The report, while pointing out easy available of banned articles in the jail premise, had recommended training to jail staffers and regular change of working shifts to prevent closeness of prison staff and IRB with jail inmates. Hasmi said these recommendations were not taken seriously – though a few staffers were subsequently transferred, following which he decided to put up a proposal to begin implementing the recommendations.
The three-tier training will be carried out in batches on rotation spread over a week. “We have proposed that training be imparted at Valpoi Police Training School and the resource persons be the same experts who train new police recruits…Once DGP is back to Goa, we will know the status of our proposal,” he said.
There have been various instances of violation of Jail rules with several inmates in possession of mobile phones and other banned substances. Senior journalist Tarun Tejpal, who was recently bailed out in an alleged rape case, was found with a mobile phone and a SIM card hidden in his shirt collar at Sada jail earlier this year.
A year ago, alleged rapist and killer Mahanand Naik had made a string of threatening calls from inside Central Aguada Jail.
Last July saw 16 staff – jailors, head guards and jail guards of Sada sub-jail and Aguada prison transferred in the light of a recommendation made by Goa Human Rights Commission.
