CCTVs to monitor prisoners in Tihar jail
Nearly 100 CCTVs is being installed at the cost of Rs 80 lakh.
Tightening surveillance in Tihar, one of Asia's biggest prisons, which has witnessed high profile escapes, authorities are installing close circuit televisions (CCTVs) in all the ten jails there.
Nearly 100 CCTVs will be installed at the cost of Rs 80 lakh, a jail official said adding each jail will be having at least ten CCTVs at various sensitive points, including the gates and the place where the inmates meet the visitors.
"The instalment of CCTVs has already started. Four jails have already got CCTVs, while the work is on in rest of the jails," the official said.
The step was taken on the basis of recommendations of the Kain Committee which was set up to study the security system after the escape of Sher Singh Rana, an accused in the sensational murder of bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi, from Tihar in 2004.
"The committee had recommended for installing X-Ray scanner at the entry points and CCTVs at different sensitive places. The scanners are already in place, while the CCTVs are now being installed," the official said.
Twelve undertrials had escaped on July 6, 2005 from Tihar when they were taken to be produced before a court inside the jail premises.
The CCTVs will also be of immense help to monitor the alleged handing over of narcotics items and weapons to prisoners by the visitors, the Tihar official said.
Tihar accommodates more than 13,000 prisoners and about 5,000 visitors come to meet the inmates everyday.
"We will be able to closely and extensively monitor the activities of inmates, visitors and jail officials also with the help of these cameras. The surveillance system can be tightened," he said.
Tihar is the first jail in the country to have such a hi-tech system, he said adding specific jails can get more CCTVs also depending on the need and type of activities going on there.
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