On an average, two constables per prisoner and severe Supreme Court directives protecting human rights have been translating into custodial escapes. This, however, does not excuse some of them from being negligent while escorting prisoners from jail to court or to the hospital and back.
The Police Escort Cell has often been in the news for the wrong reasons – be it due to the spate of escapes of prison inmates with the latest being a thief under trial fleeing from Mapusa court. For long, the under trail prisoners have had the best “escorts” in town, the policemen who are supposed to take them for court hearings. Their friendship has enabled many to escape from custody. But their closeness is not at all in doubt. Remember the case police at the Sada jail “escorting” then murder accused Balesh Desai to an ice cream parlour on one of the trial dates.
Of course there are happy but rare exceptions. Like this week when khaki-men arrested an Israeli drug peddler, who made an abortive bid to escape from Bambolim after a two-hour long chase on Thursday. The American co-conspirator was also taken into custody although the foreign nationals had attacked the policemen with pepper spray and kick blows.
The Supreme Court’s directions banning the use of handcuffs and fetters on prisoners have put the department in a major quandary, for a large number of prisoners are violent. Like Michael Fernandes, who managed to give the jail authorities and cops a slip at least seven times.
It was about two years ago when the Goa police had written to a local court requesting to handcuff the inter-state criminals, which was turned down citing apex court guidelines.
“We cannot handcuff them nor can we chain their hands or legs. It will be a breach of the SC guidelines,” a senior officer attached with the Escort Cell added, while also admitting that in certain cases, the personnel are negligent or indisciplined.
Indiscipline of two Escort Cell personnel had resulted in their suspension as they were caught sharing ice-cream with murder accused Balesh Desai at an ice-cream parlour in February 2011. Desai and others were charged with murdering Samir Mapari in 2007, and lodged at Sada jail. They have since then been acquitted in the lower court.
Official sources contended that lack medical facilities within jail premises were an issue and that prisoners were taking undue advantage of medical referral facilities to flee. With the coming of the modern Colvale jail, which will be commissioned in May-end, the medical tours will certainly come to an end as it consists of a separate 15-bedded hospital besides a dental clinic.
“Routine medical check-ups will be done within the premise and if any prisoner complains of health issues, the medical attendants and doctors who would be on-duty in shifts, will attend to them,” an officer said adding this scope to run away will be curbed.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the shortage of manpower and vehicles has been an issue with the Escort Cell, which was recently highlighted by the Prison Department in a letter to the government after the Mapusa escape this week.
“It is justified that the Escort cell faces these two shortages. Although it does not come in my domain, I brought it to the notice of the government via a written communiqué. They have to strengthen manpower,” Inspector General of Prisons, Elvis Gomes told Herald. The issue was highlighted by the Goa Police as well, in addition to meetings with Principal Session Judges.
Gomes explained that as long as prisoners are in the jail premises, they are the responsibility of the Prison Department but as soon as they step out, it is the liability of the police to ensure safe custody.
The officials, on the other hand, also believe that more than two personnel should escort one prisoner considering that particularly foreign nationals usually overpower the physical strength of a policeman.
The prison department has also now made it clear that unless an accused is directed by the court to be produced before it, he/she will not be taken out of the jail premises.
“Taking prisoners out of the prison for production in courts raises several problems. There is scope for the escape of prisoners while in transit, especially when they have to be taken by public transport as there is no police van available,” a police officer said wishing for anonymity.
Prisoners getting an opportunity to mix with relatives or friends while in transit or in the court premises had added to the headache of both authorities – Prisons and Goa Police. In this, acquaintances or accomplices of the prisoners manage to pass on contraband articles to them which are ultimately smuggled in the prison. All this needs to be stopped,” he said.
