NEW DELHI: Tihar Jail, once a bastion of containment against criminal elements since pre-independence, continues its daily tussle to keep its denizens from wreaking havoc on the outside world. At the forefront of this battle lies the perpetual struggle against gang turf wars and the illicit embrace of modern technology, particularly the ubiquitous mobile phone.
Reports from within the prison department reveal a staggering haul: over the past 15 months alone, authorities have seized a staggering 1100 mobile phones from inmates, alongside contraband like makeshift weapons and hand-rolled cigarettes, during surprise raids.
In a particularly audacious incident last July, officials unearthed a cache of mobile phones buried 2-3 feet underground by resourceful inmates. The proliferation of mobile phones behind bars poses a grave risk, exemplified by recent instances where notorious figures like Lawrence Bishnoi and alleged scam artist Sukesh Chandrashekhar were caught orchestrating serious crimes via cell phone.
A senior jail official candidly admits to the relentless nature of this struggle, with superintendents and security officers engaged in a daily game of cat-and-mouse.
Thanks to a robust intelligence network and proactive raid tactics, authorities claim to have significantly disrupted criminal activities within the prison walls, dealing a hefty blow to underworld operations.
But it’s not just contraband phones that authorities contend with; makeshift weapons frequently surface, wielded by inmates in deadly altercations. The grisly murder of Delhi’s prominent gangster Sunil alias Tillu Tajpuriya stands as a chilling testament to the brutality that can unfold within Tihar’s confines.
Tajpuriya met his end in a flurry of over 90 stab wounds, a stark reminder of the perils lurking within the prison’s walls.
Just days ago, echoes of gang strife reverberated through Tihar’s corridors once more as two factions clashed within jail number 3, leaving four inmates injured in their wake.
Initial investigations suggest a struggle for dominance as the motive, underscoring the ongoing battle for control within the prison’s hierarchy.
Since Tajpuriya’s demise, the prison’s infrastructure has undergone a comprehensive overhaul, bolstered by intelligence from the Delhi Police Special Cell and the establishment of rapid response teams armed with the means to maintain order. This includes acquiring official dossiers on criminal gangs from the Delhi Police Special Cell, as well as forming quick response teams equipped with weapons.