Jail security audit says mobile jammers high on cost, low on effectiveness

It costs about ₹1.25 crore to disrupt mobile phone signal in a 30-meter radius

As on an average three mobile phones are recovered every day from various jails of the state, an internal jail security audit by state prisons department says installing 4-G mobile phone jammers and full-body scanners may be of little use to curb the nuisance.

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Besides high-cost estimation that stands at about ₹28 crore for each jail compound and frequent upgradation of jammers, the authorities have also expressed health concern of inmates and staff due to jammers.

Additional director general of police (jails) PK Sinha said even after spending exorbitantly on the sophisticated technology, it will not be a permanent solution. It costs about ₹1.25 crore to disrupt mobile phone signal in a 30-meter radius, he said.

He said the assessment process was undertaken after the Punjab and Haryana high court last year had ordered to install jammers in all jails.

‘Final decision on Jammers later this month’

ADGP said a detailed report will be submitted later this month to the government for a final decision.

“As a pilot proposal to curtail cost on jammers, we identified 24 high priority zones in 14 jails where hardened criminals are kept. It is estimated that after spending ₹22 crore, we will be able to cover only 10% area of these jails while leaving wide grey areas,” said Sinha.

Once approved by the secretary (security) of the central cabinet secretariat, it takes about nine months to procure and install jammers.

“As we are exploring jammers for 4-G, technological upgradation is gearing up for 5-G and in such case, it will make these jammers irrelevant. Our assessment says jammers would impact signals in the radius of up to 3-km of jail premises, however, mobile phone service providers are mulling to boost signals for their subscribers living in the vicinity of jails. In such a scenario, we may have to spend more on upgradation for an unlimited period and it is a never-ending process,” said Sinha.

State jail department has recovered 1,086 mobile phones from various prisons in 2019. As per the officials concerned, the authorities have seized 580 phones alone in January and February this year.

“We have recently introduced a system where an inmate can make calls for 10 minutes per day on 10 different telephone numbers. We are devising more effective ways to regulate unauthorised use of mobiles in jails,” said the official.

ADGP said it is indeed a point of concern to ensure that installing jammers would not cause any adverse effect on the health of those on the jail premises.

Sinha said full-body scanners that cost around ₹3 crore cannot detect phones or anything hidden in body cavities.

“Full-body x-ray scanners are rather effective in detecting phone or anything else hidden in rectum or other body cavities. But the use of such scanners in jails has no legal sanctity in the country,” he added.