Prison security under scanner as mobiles found in Hubballi jail barrack

Hubballi : The recovery of smartphones from inside a jail barrack in Hubballi has once again raised serious questions about prison security in Karnataka. The incident highlights continuing lapses despite recent crackdowns on illegal privileges enjoyed by inmates.

During a surprise inspection of Barrack No. 8 at the Hubballi sub-jail, officials seized several mobile phones along with chargers and connectors. The discovery suggests that inmates are still managing to access prohibited devices inside prison premises.

Officials confirmed that none of the inmates admitted ownership of the seized items. Consequently, an FIR has been registered against 13 undertrial prisoners based on a complaint by jail superintendent Shahabuddin Kalekhan. The case has been filed at Ashoknagar Police Station, and investigations are underway.

The accused inmates include Vinod, Deepak, Nataraj, Akheeb, Kiran, Sadiq, Megha, Bhagwan Das, Charan Prasad, Vamsha, Mallikjan, Ashok, and Mahantesh. Police are probing how the devices were smuggled in and whether there was any internal support.

The development comes shortly after a similar controversy at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, where inmates were caught filming videos using mobile phones and sharing them online. In that case, phones were reportedly hidden in milk covers and drainage pipelines, making detection difficult.

There have also been allegations that inmates threatened jail staff who attempted to confiscate the devices. The issue has drawn attention to the inefficiency of signal jammers installed in prisons, as network access continues to be available.

Director General of Police Alok Kumar had earlier expressed concern over such incidents and hinted at possible involvement of prison officials in facilitating these breaches.

With repeated incidents emerging from different prisons, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of existing security measures. The authorities now face mounting pressure to plug loopholes and restore discipline within the state’s correctional institutions.