Only 200 CCTV cameras to monitor 12,000 inmates, say prison officials
20 March 2013 6:12 AM IST
Much has been said and much has been written in the past one week, about surveillance at the high-security Tihar Jail, after two back-to-back suicides in the prison, that of 16 December gang rape accused Ram Singh on 11 March and of a female inmate facing kidnapping charge on 14 March. Yet the ground reality at one of the nation’s most high-profile prison remains that officials have failed to beef up security system at the prison.
Even a week after Singh’s alleged suicide, there are only 200 CCTV cameras installed on prison premises to mount watch on prisoners who number 12,000. According to a jail official, even the CCTV cameras that have been installed, are specially installed to cover certain VIP prisoners, such as terrorists, and those who have been placed under 'suicide watch'.
'There are around 200 VIP prisoners in the ‘high risk’ ward scattered in 150 different cells in Tihar,' said a jail official.
Ram Singh, the prime accused in the 16 December gang rape, had been lodged in jail number 3, which was not covered by any CCTV cameras. According to sources, there are no CCTV cameras to monitor ‘ordinary’ prisoners.
So there’s no way that officials can track the activities of the prisoners 24X7.
Tihar Jail spokesperson, Sunil Gupta said, 'There are 200 CCTV cameras, covering the 10 jails in Tihar. Among these, 150 cameras have been installed in the “high risk” wards. The rest of the cameras are scattered across the meeting halls, campus and canteens.'
After Ram Singh’s suicide, the others accused in the 16 December gang rape case have been shifted to the ‘high risk’ wards.
'Work on the second phase of installation of CCTV cameras are on this year. In this phase, 243 more cameras will be installed in the prison.
‘The estimated cost of the project is approximately Rs 2.81 crore,' said a senior jail official.
Even a week after Singh’s alleged suicide, there are only 200 CCTV cameras installed on prison premises to mount watch on prisoners who number 12,000. According to a jail official, even the CCTV cameras that have been installed, are specially installed to cover certain VIP prisoners, such as terrorists, and those who have been placed under 'suicide watch'.
'There are around 200 VIP prisoners in the ‘high risk’ ward scattered in 150 different cells in Tihar,' said a jail official.
Ram Singh, the prime accused in the 16 December gang rape, had been lodged in jail number 3, which was not covered by any CCTV cameras. According to sources, there are no CCTV cameras to monitor ‘ordinary’ prisoners.
So there’s no way that officials can track the activities of the prisoners 24X7.
Tihar Jail spokesperson, Sunil Gupta said, 'There are 200 CCTV cameras, covering the 10 jails in Tihar. Among these, 150 cameras have been installed in the “high risk” wards. The rest of the cameras are scattered across the meeting halls, campus and canteens.'
After Ram Singh’s suicide, the others accused in the 16 December gang rape case have been shifted to the ‘high risk’ wards.
'Work on the second phase of installation of CCTV cameras are on this year. In this phase, 243 more cameras will be installed in the prison.
‘The estimated cost of the project is approximately Rs 2.81 crore,' said a senior jail official.
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