During a routine search operation conducted at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam on Saturday, numerous electronic devices were unearthed from the cells housing detainees held under the National Security Act (NSA). Among the detainees were ten individuals affiliated with the radical group 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD), known for their pro-Khalistani stance, including the group's leader Amritpal and one of his relatives.
These detainees had been incarcerated since March 19 of the previous year following their apprehension under the NSA from various locations in Punjab during a crackdown on the organization.
According to Director General of Police GP Singh, the search was prompted by intelligence suggesting unauthorized activities within the facility. Consequently, jail authorities conducted a thorough examination of the premises, resulting in the discovery of several electronic contraband items.
The recovered items included a smartphone equipped with a SIM card, a basic keypad phone, a television remote featuring a keyboard, a covert camera pen, pen drives, Bluetooth-enabled headphones, and speakers. Subsequently, these items were confiscated by the jail staff, who initiated investigations to ascertain the origins of these unauthorized articles and how they were introduced into the facility.
In a communication posted on 'X,' DGP Singh disclosed that additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were installed in the public areas of the NSA block following reports of illicit activities occurring therein. Furthermore, he underscored the implementation of additional lawful measures and preventive protocols aimed at forestalling similar incidents in the future.
It is pertinent to note that the DGP refrained from specifying that the electronic devices were exclusively recovered from the WPD members housed within the jail.
In response to the presence of the radical outfit members from Punjab, stringent security measures were instituted at Dibrugarh Jail, including the augmentation of CCTV surveillance and the repair or replacement of malfunctioning cameras.
Dibrugarh Jail, renowned as one of the oldest and most secure penitentiaries in the Northeast, traces its origins back to its construction by the British authorities in 1859-60.
