Odisha’s biggest jail’s chief warder suspended in Operation Clean Up

Earlier this month, a video of dancing and Cannabis abuse in Jharpada jail had gone viral in social media, bringing embarrassment to the Odisha prisons department.

Published on: May 31, 2021, 08:18:46 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Odisha government on Sunday suspended the chief warder of its biggest jail after mobile phones, SIM cards, mobile chargers, mobile batteries, a pen drive and cannabis were recovered from the prison.

Operation Clean Up is being undertaken by the directorate of prisons & correctional services reform to change the jail subculture in Odisha. (Shutterstock)

Odisha’s chief of prisons Santosh Upadhyay (DG) said Sudarshan Barik, chief warder of Jharpada Special Jail in Bhubaneswar was suspended after seizure of 6 mobile phones, 4 SIM cards, 5 mobile chargers, a pen drive, 5 mobile batteries and cannabis during Operation Clean Up on Saturday.

Operation Clean Up is being undertaken by the directorate of prisons & correctional services reform to change the jail subculture, Upadhyay said.

Earlier this month, a video of dancing and ganja smoking in Jharpada jail had gone viral in social media bringing embarrassment to the prisons department.

The articles seized from Jharpada jail were found in the prison dining hall and wards, including the segregation ward. An FIR in this regard was lodged at the Laxmisagar police station and the seized articles were handed over to the police, said the police officer.

He added that the cannabis was destroyed as per Odisha model jail manual. “This mission will be intensified till the jail authorities get satisfied with zero contraband articles in their respective jails,” Upadhyay said.

In April this year, police in Koraput seized cash, a mobile phone, dumb-bells, iron rods and a pen drive from some under-trial prisoners following a raid at Jeypore sub-jail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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