While the Kerala government has launched a probe by a two-member special team to check security lapses in prisons following the jailbreak of Govindachamy, recommendations made by a similar panel to enhance prison security, 12 years ago, still remain on paper.
Govindachamy, the convict in the Soumya rape and murder case, managed to escape the high-security Kannur Central Jail early on Friday and was re-arrested 6.5 hours later. The incident prompted the state government to order an investigation by the special team.
However, in 2013, the government had set up a similar high-level committee to study security lapses in the Thiruvananthapuram Central Prison after two of its inmates escaped.
The committee, which comprised of the then home principal secretary L Radhakrishnan, state police chief K S Balasubramanian and prisons DG Alexander Jacob, had made 18 recommendations, which were accepted by the state government. Some of the recommendations by the panel included the installation of barbed multi-coiled wire fencing, checking the feasibility of electric fencing on top of the outer wall, installation of alarm systems like motion sensors, touch sensors etc., as well as automatic alarm and door locking systems in all regular jail blocks.
Another key suggestion made by the panel was to bar the entry of mobile phones into the prison complex by the prison staff. For communication purposes, the staff should be provided with wireless sets or other devices.
Following this, the home department on September 2, 2013, ordered the prisons director general to implement the recommendations in jails in the state. However, most of the recommendations are yet to be implemented due to a lack of funds or government apathy.
Though the department introduced the TETRA Vehicle Mount Radio Operation System for official communications, the staff still carry mobile phones into the prison complex.
The panel had also proposed to rotate the duty of prison staff every three months to avoid them developing bonds with prisoners. Meanwhile, sources said that the prisons department alone cannot enforce most of the proposals and needs wider government support. “The proposal for installing sensors has been lying unattended for the past 13 years. Such gadgets could have made a difference in handling security predicaments in the prisons,” said a department source.
The panel also mentioned providing better accommodation for the inmates and increasing the sanctioned strength of wardens. The panel report had categorically pointed out to the need to increase the bench strength of staff in accordance with the Udayabhanu Commission’s report and Model Prison Manual. However, these recommendations were also not implemented.
