Punjab: No jammer purchased in last 6 years, reveals RTI

Though the Punjab government has been planning to install jammers for many years, not a single jammer was purchased in the last six years for jamming mobile signals, revealed an RTI reply.

Though the state government has been planning to install jammers for many years, not a single jammer was purchased in the last six years for jamming mobile signals, revealed an RTI reply.

RTI activist Manik Goyal had sought details of jammers bought since 2016 for Punjab’s prisons to make them mobile-free. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

The mobile network was upgraded to 5G level, but the government did not purchase any jammer to stop 3G, 4G or 5G network.

RTI activist Manik Goyal had sought details of jammers bought since 2016 for state’s prisons to make them mobile-free.

The previous government had also planned multiple times to install jammers in prison. However, the jammers were installed at only Bathinda jail and that too by a central intelligence agency, said a jail official.

There are a total of 27 jails in Punjab. Goyal said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making tall claims to make Punjab jails mobile-free. But nothing is being done so far.

Anurag Agarwal, additional chief secretary, jails, said, “I have joined this department a day ago. Therefore, I cannot comment on it.”

Jails minister Harjot Bains did not respond to repeated calls and messages.