Illegal construction near Patna jail poses security threat, say authorities

In April this year, the prison authorities wrote to the urban development and housing department to probe the ownership of the illegally constructed buildings and demolish them

Several residential and commercial establishments coming up around the high security Beur Central Jail in Bihar’s Patna pose a threat to the security of the high-profile prison. It houses over 4,000 inmates, including over 200 Maoists and terrorists---its capacity is 2,360.

Representational image. (HT Archive)

The jail is on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by thickly populated areas on three sides and a road at the front.

Alarmed at the rate at which illegal dwellings are coming up behind the high-security Beur prison, the jail authorities have written to the state home department (SPH) demanding that the structures be demolished as they pose a serious security concern.

Following this, in April this year, the prison authorities wrote to the urban development and housing department to probe the ownership of the illegally constructed buildings and demolish them. The letter also mentioned the illegal construction near divisional jails at Hajipur, Ara, Chhapra, Sitamarhi, Katihar, Madhepura, Sheikhpura and the Barh sub-jail. According to the jail manual, high-rise building construction is banned within 50 metres for a central jail, 30 metres for a divisional jail and 20 metres for a sub-divisional jail.

IG (prisons) Mithilesh Mishra said that the authorities handed over a list of 40 houses to the Patna Municipal commissioner (PMC) which were constructed an unauthorised manner near the prison’s wall and urged him to demolish them.

The prison authorities said that every day, there are incidents wherein mobile phones and other items are being tossed over the prison walls. In the last four months, the Beur jail administration lodged 60 separate FIRs with the Beur police station in connection with recovery of prohibited items.

An official, requesting anonymity, said, “It becomes easier to hurl lethal weapons over the compound wall, narcotic drugs stuffed inside rubber balls, mobile phones, among other things, for use of the inmates.”

The PMC has now served the 40 house owners notice for building illegal structures in the vicinity of the jail.