West Bengal installing jammers at three major correctional homes

KOLKATA: The correctional administration department of West Bengal government is installing jammers in three major correctional homes of the state, minister for correctional services H A Safwi told the assembly today.

Replying during the question hour today, he said that a jammer has been already installed at Dum Dum Central Correctional Home, while another two are being installed at Presidency and Alipore correctional homes.

Safwi said the total cost for installing the three jammers was Rs 11 crore.

Before installation of the jammers, time-to-time searches are being done by police and his departmental officials to check if any prisoner possessed a mobile phone.

He said friends of prisoners would be barred from entering the correctional home premises, but relatives would be allowed.

The minister said there were 1004 foreigner prisoners who were in the correctional homes across the state despite completing their terms.

These included 896 males and 108 females belonging to countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa, Nigeria, Myanmar and others and the government was making efforts for their release, he told the house

There are 44 political prisoners in Bengal including three women, the minister added.