AP jails turn into dens of criminal activities

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
10th Nov 2008
With top jail offi cials of the state’s prison department on a private tour to Thailand, the Anantapur jail murder has come as a shock to the state. Moddu Srinu’s killing has come as a stark reminder of the unruly situation prevailing in the jails.
The IG of the jails department, Mr Narasimha Reddy, and the additional IG, Mr M.R. Ahmed, are touring Thailand for the past seven days.
A senior police officer said, “Though AP is considered to be in fore front of jail reforms, incidents like suicides, deaths due to ill health are on the rise. To make matters worse, criminals are planning antinational and anti-social activities from the jails,” Sources said proper searches are not conducted in jails paving way for prisoners to use mobile phones. Jammers are yet to be set up in the jails. Officials are delaying the process citing several reasons including non-effectiveness of jammers.
Recently, the Task Force sleuths busted a gang which conspired to kidnap the Country Club chief, Mr Rajeev Reddy. The conspiracy to kidnap him was hatched in Chanchalguda jail.
A few years ago, associ ates of Paritala Ravi were arrested by the city police as they planned to eliminate Maddalacheruvu Suri, who was lodged in jail, by lacing poison in his food. A prisoner was sent to the jail for this purpose.
Similarly, an ISI suspect Aziz was caught red-handed using a mobile phone in Cherlapally jail. Supply of ganja packets and blades has also been reported several times in the jails. A jail official said, “About 20 years ago, a body was found in the Chanchalaguda jail. This murder was not so brutal like that of Moddu Srinu”. Sources said Biryani packets are being sent to the jail for those who are ‘influential’.