Major Haul at Ferozepur Jail: 37 SIM Cards, Drugs Seized from Parolee
Major Haul at Ferozepur Jail: 37 SIM Cards, Drugs Seized from Parolee
Ferozepur, September 16, 2024: Security concerns at Ferozepur Jail escalated with yet another significant recovery of banned items, including 37 mobile SIM cards, drugs, and suspected intoxicants, during a routine search operation. The contraband was found on Hardev Singh, a prisoner who had just returned after an 8-week parole, marking one of the largest seizures of mobile SIM cards in a single operation within the facility.
Despite tight security measures inside and outside the prison, banned items like mobile phones and drugs continue to infiltrate the jail, often smuggled in through weak entry-point checks or thrown over the high prison walls. This ongoing issue has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of prison security, with insiders attributing these lapses to inadequate monitoring at critical points.
During a swift search, acting on a tip-off, the vigilant jail staff found two black plastic pouches in Hardev Singh’s possession. The pouches contained 114 grams of a white powder suspected to be drugs, 45 suspected intoxicating tablets, and 37 mobile SIM cards—16 from Airtel, 16 from Vi, and 5 from Jio. The use of mobile phones and SIM cards inside the jail undermines the very purpose of incarceration, allowing prisoners to maintain contact with the outside world.
A former jail official expressed concern, stating, “The availability of phones inside the prison defeats the entire purpose of punishment. There needs to be a controlled phone facility with recording and monitoring to prevent illegal activities.”
A case has been registered against Hardev Singh under Sections 42 and 52-A of the Prisons Act, based on a complaint by Assistant Superintendent Rishvpal Goyal. Investigations are ongoing, with Sarwan Singh as the investigating officer. The incident underscores the pressing need for stricter security measures to curb the flow of contraband within the jail.
