Surprise raid at Bengaluru's central prison reveals Kasuri methi, glue sticks, other banned items

A surprise raid at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara prison revealed a surprising array of banned items, including spicy kasuri methi and glue sticks.

From chillums to Chinese cigarettes, scissors to spicy kasuri methi, a surprise raid by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths at the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru on Monday uncovered an eclectic collection of unauthorized possessions, a Deccan Herald report noted.

The Parappana Agrahara central prison, Bengaluru.

In a four-hour sweep of the central prison’s VIP security barracks A and B, officials stumbled upon a horde of contraband items from lighters, gutka, trimmers, knives, iron rods and ganja fillers to tobacco brands and even glue sticks, because why not?

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The undercover party was hosted by officers from multiple wings of the CCB, including the Special Enquiry, Organised Crime, Women Protection, and Economic Offences units.

Interestingly, a psychologist assigned to treat inmates triggered the surprise raid. Navyashree K M, 33, who was working at the hospital wing of the prison, was intercepted by a Karnataka State Industrial Security Force officer last week for allegedly trying to smuggle a mobile phone inside. It was also found that she was not acting alone - her partner in crime, Srujan, was also nabbed shortly afterwards. 

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Police also said they planted a decoy inside the prison to prep for the raid, and gathered intel before striking, the report stated.

When asked how they plan to prevent these items from getting inside the prison in the future, City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the prisons aren't directly under their control — but promised better coordination with the Prisons Department moving forward, the report added.

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Notably, this is the second such raid at the Parappana Agrahara in a month.