HYDERABAD: Some habits die hard, no matter what disciplinary curbs are levied. After a blanket ban was imposed on tobacco-related products like gutka and cigarettes inside the jail by State prisons department, prisoners are using creative methods to source such products into prison. Sometimes, the list of products includes ganja.
Some people have successfully used fruits and tubes of toothpaste and even biscuit packs to smuggle their high into prison. “Some inmates tried to sneak in ganja by concealing it in banana. Our security personnel later found them and busted that source,” said VK Singh, Director General, Prisons department.
It is learnt that this happens during Mulaqat, when prisoners meet their family members or friends.
Narsaiah (name changed), an open-air convict at Chanchanguda, observed that such activities are mostly done by those who are under-trials.
“Such activities are mostly carried out by those who are not convicted and stay for a shorter time. We never source such banned products because there would be serious consequences. There would be strip searches, the daily routine gets jeopardised,” he said.
However, such attempts have largely come to rest, claim officials as new mechanisms have been put in place. “Some convicts are informants and they give us information on any illegal activity,” said Singh. “The superintendent who heads the management of jail activities has discretionary powers to give certain incentives to those who are loyal to the department in giving information,” informed the official.