03 May,2017 10:35 AM IST | | Faisal Tandel
Authorities install 52 CCTV cameras inside Thane Central Jail, which is infamous for dishing out five-star treatment, including drugs and alcohol, to inmates
Cabinet minister Eknath Shinde inaugurates CCTVs at Thane jail
Food from five-star hotels, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol and other forms of VIP treatment given to inmates at Thane Central Jail is expected to be a thing of the past now. Jail authorities have put up 52 CCTV cameras on the premises, inaugurated by Cabinet minister Eknath Shinde on Monday.
The catalyst
The call for CCTVs inside Thane jail had grown after reports of former superintendent of police Hiralal Jadhav allowing amenities and giving five-star treatment to prisoners came to the fore. mid-day had reported on May 25, 2016, how Jadhav allegedly gave VIP treatment to inmates for Rs 5 lakh, even allowing them to talk on phone for hours. He was suspended on charges of corruption and sexually assaulting a woman constable.
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Sources claimed that getting tobacco, paan masala and even marijuana and hashish inside the jail was easy. "Jadhav's suspension and his revelations forced the jail authorities to get CCTV cameras installed," a jail officer said.
Partial surveillance
The 52 cameras, installed at a cost of Rs 37 lakh, are monitored from a control room from the premises. A jail officer, however, said that to keep a watch on the entire area, they would need 60 to 70 more cameras, as the premises is huge and the number of inmates three times its capacity - 3,200 inmates are housed in the jail having a capacity for 1,105.
"To handle these many prisoners, the staff of 190 policemen is not sufficient. As per government rules, there should be one constable for every six inmates," said a senior jail officer.
Officerspeak
Superintendent of police, Thane Central Jail, NB Vayachal said they haven't put up any in women's barracks keeping privacy in mind. "CCTVs were the need of the hour . We have two LED screens; two constables monitor them from the control room," he added.
"Cameras have been installed in front of the gate, in the barracks, anda cell and other wards that are sensitive and need surveillance."
Additional director general (prison) BK Upadhyay said, "CCTVs are important on jail premises. Now, if any incident occurs, we can have the footage as evidence. Also, this will also act as a deterrent for the inmates as well."
