Ernakulam sub-jail cant contain terror

KOCHI: The Prison Department has cancelled its decision to shift 16 terror-accused awaiting trial to the Ernakulam sub-jail on the basis of poor security in the jail. The prison department has realised that the shortest jail compound wall does not make it an appropriate place to accommodate those terrorists who are well-trained to breach security.‘Express’ had earlier reported that Ernakulam sub-jail is the worst place to accommodate the high-profile prisoners and the move to shift the terrorists to the Ernakulam sub-jail would not be a wise decision.According to sources, the jail authorities have realised that Ernakulam sub-jail has not been prepared to accommodate these terrorists. Earlier, the Prison Department had decided that 16 terrorists be shifted to Ernakulam jail by shifting all the inmates of Ernakulam District Jail in Kakkanad. “Jail ADGP Alexander Jacob had given directives to Ernakulam sub-jail superintendent Raju to shift the inmates of the sub-jail to the Kakkanad district jail, Mattanchery and Aluva sub-jails and admit terror accused till the trial on the Kashmir recruitment case was over. But the decision has been changed now. "Considering the security of the sub-jail, we have decided to continue the current system of accommodating those people in the central jails and on the trial day they will be shifted to Ernakulam district jail,” an official with the Prison Department said.A Prison Department source said that Ernakulam sub-jail has the shortest wall compared to other sub-jails in the state. It also lacks other facilities required for the security of the prisoners. “At present, there are no wireless sets to communicate with the nearby police stations, if any emergency occurs. The jailers are using one landphone connection and personal mobile phones for communicating with other stations. If there is any untoward situation, such as disconnection of the land phones, we cannot be able to contact even the adjacent police stations,” the official said. “The staff shortage was another reason for cancelling the plan. We have only eight wardens to look after the daily duties of the prison. The wardens do not have proper training.”

Original news source