Raids in Bihar jail’: Police fail to find mobile phones, illegal items

One of the biggest operations was carried out at high-security Beur Central Jail, where Mokama MLA and strongman Anant Singh is lodged

Acting on the strict directives of Bihar’s new home minister Samrat Choudhary, local administration and district police have swung into action, conducting raids in separate jails in eight districts on Saturday. Officials familiar with the matter revealed that the prison department got information that history-sheeters lodged in the jail extorted protection money from under-trials who were financially well-off.

Beur Central Jail

“Family members or relatives of the jail inmates come to meet them occasionally. The history-sheeters threaten the powerless inmates and demand protection money. The inmates are asked to tell their family members to transfer money via pay apps on a phone number linked to a bank account. Once the money is paid by app, the hardened criminals don’t bother the inmate,” said the official.

However, one of the biggest operations was carried out at high-security Beur Central Jail, where Mokama MLA and strongman Anant Singh is lodged. A large number of police teams — led by the City SP (East), City SP (Central), and the Additional District Magistrate — launched a sweeping search at around 5 am. All inmates were confined to their wards as officers combed the premises. No entry was allowed during the raid, which was conducted under heavy security.

The intensified crackdown comes amid suspicions that several recent crimes — including murders, robberies, and dacoities in Patna and surrounding districts — may have links to criminal networks operating from inside Beur Jail. There is no official word yet on any seizures from the Beur raid.

Similar raids were also reported from other districts--Purnia, Begusarai, Motihari, Munger, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Gaya including the sub-jail in Barh. All prison wards were thoroughly searched. Inmates were frisked, staff members were questioned, and everything, from the kitchen where food is prepared to the bathrooms, was checked.