How an alert driver foiled bid to smuggle cigarettes, marijuana into Tihar Jail

An unidentified biker trailed a prison van for around 10km on the streets of the capital to smuggle contraband for prisoners riding inside the van. The biker and the pillion rider had tied a small packet of tobacco and marijuana to a rope and were trying to tie it to the grill of the van.

An unidentified biker trailed a prison van for around 10km on the streets of the capital to smuggle contraband for prisoners riding inside the van.

The Tihar jail van, carrying 56 prisoners, was on its way back from Rohini court to the prison at 2pm on Tuesday when a biker was spotted trying to tie a packet to the van’s window grille. (HT Photo)

The biker and the pillion rider had tied a small packet of tobacco and marijuana to a rope and were trying for over an hour to tie it to the grill of the van’s windows for the prisoners to smuggle the contraband.

The plan was foiled by an alert police driver who noticed the two men following him and stopped his vehicle abruptly causing the biker to fall. Though the two men escaped leaving their bike at the spot, police have registered a case and started investigation.

The incident was reported from west Delhi on Tuesday afternoon. The jail van, carrying 56 prisoners, was on its way back from Rohini court to Tihar prison at around 2pm. The inmates were taken to the court in the morning for their court hearing. Police sources said that the driver constable, Manjit, spotted a man on a Honda CD Delux bike following him after they left from the court.

Initially, Manjit dismissed his fears of being followed and continued the drive. Rules do not allow a prison van driver to stop the van on the road without the assistance of local police.

“Manjit and the van in-charge suspected the biker of carrying a weapon. Later, when they had reached Paschim Vihar, the pillion rider could be seen throwing a rope for the prisoners but he was not successful because our van was moving at a high speed,” said a senior officer.

At Paschim Vihar, when the driver saw the bike drawing closer to the windows with a rope in his hand, he stopped the van suddenly causing the biker to fall on the road. “The biker panicked and fled leaving the bike on the ground. We will probe the bike’s owner,” said an officer.

Drugs, alcohol and all other forms of tobacco are banned inside the prison complex.

Once prisoners manage to smuggle a cigarette or a tobacco packet inside the jail, the rate of the product increases to more than 10 times its price outside. Most prisoners carrying tobacco and cigarette are often caught at the gate because prisoners are frisked twice before entering the prison again.

A cigarette stick, which costs around Rs10 outside the jail, sells for around Rs80-90 inside.

In April, a jail warder was caught smuggling marijuana, cigarette and tobacco. He was suspended and a case was registered against him.