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Tihar jail inmates have a 'bouncing' good time with drugs in tennis balls

A video that went viral on social media showed inmates flaunting mobile phones and knives

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A complex supply chain of drugs, money and knives have been unearthed inside the largest prison complex in South Asia -- Tihar jail.

Touted as the safest prison in the country, Tihar has been in the news recently due after a video went viral on social media where a prison inmate is seen threatening a police officer. A similar kind of video was recently uploaded to the social media website TikTok, where an inmate is shown giving a tour of his prison cell and flaunting his collection of drugs and knives.

The central jail came under fire after these videos made rounds on social media, as it raised questions about the vigilance and integrity of jail authorities and the freehand given to these prisoners. Subsequently, many prisoners were reportedly found to possess expensive mobile phones, sharp weapons and narcotic substances.

Sources revealed that the administration conducted a search operation in May and June, which unearthed a complex supply network for contraband items. However, reportedly, zero action was initiated by authorities and instead of stopping or reducing, there has been an increase in the inflow of these materials.

Not Barred

 A video that went viral on social media showed inmates flaunting mobile phones and knives
 Contraband substances are smuggled in via body orifices that escape detection by scanners

Speaking to this correspondent, Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Tihar Jail, Rajkumar said that part of the problem was ignorance on part of jail authorities about the methods and pathways used to smuggle such materials into the prison, and part of it was connivance with perpetrators. "We have initiated an inquiry and if found guilty, will suspend the necessary officers."

Elaborating the ways in which gangsters supply contraband to gang members lodged inside, a source said, "They hide contraband inside tennis balls and bounce them into jails." To plug this security lapse, Rajkumar said that jail premises will be covered by bird-nets to stop their entry.

Surprisingly, though network jammers are in play in the vicinity of and inside the jail, the mobile phones of inmates are equipped with the latest 4G technology that slips past the jammers running on 3G technology. To counter this, the technology inside the complex will be updated. "We are soon going to equip the jail with modern jammers designed to counter any network ranging from 3G to 5G," said Rajkumar

Another way prisoners are smuggling contraband substances is by hiding them within the body's orifices. "We have found that sometimes these criminals either hide phones, weapons or narcotic substances inside their private parts and they pass through the body scanning machine undetected," said Rajkumar. "We will soon bring a full-body scanner that will detect also detect hidden in these parts."

Sources said that inmates pass on messages to their nexus outside by cloaking them under keywords used in the videos they are allowed to send to their families to convey their well-being. Thus, they communicate instructions to their gangs and request drugs or implements that can be used as currency within the prison network. This way, they stay on top of illegal operations despite being behind bars.

Zee Media Newsroom

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