Goons thrive in Central Jail; ‘Bribe’ payments go digital

Thiruvananthapuram: State Police Chief confirms that goons thrive at the Viyyur Central Jail. State Police Chief Anil Kanth has written to the jail director Balram Kumar Upadhyaya asking to control them.

It has been revealed that a few jail officials are working hand in glove with the prisoners under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) cases and getting ‘bribes’ from those prisoners’ relatives through online transactions.

It is for the first time that the police chief has written to the jail director asking him to bring things under control at the Central Prison. The DGP's letter was sent along with the report filed by Thrissur City Police Commissioner Ankith Ashokan.

The state police chief, through his letter, confirm the allegations which have been there for a long time. The report handed over by the DGP confirms that drug smuggling and mobile phone use are also rampant here.

The jail becomes the stage for settling the vengeance between the goons. No action is initiated against the jail officials who ‘support’ them.

Fight to establish leader
Viyyur jail houses 93 prisoners from Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur regions under the KAAPA charges. As they have more than 10 cases charged against them, they do not bother if additional charges are levied against them.

Even the slightest provocations lead to violence. The attempt is to ensure the position of the ‘goon leader’. They apparently turn violent owing to the use of drugs. Their visitors hide narcotic substances at different places in the Children’s Park within the jail compound. The prisoners who go out to work here smuggle these into the prison and it is mentioned in the report. The prisoners who go for work like gardening are not thoroughly checked on their return.

Apparently, the inmates are getting banned substances with the ‘support’ of the jail officials. Joint Superintendent Anwar found the Deputy Prison Officer (DPO) Rajesh Kumar with a huge stock of beedi and cigarettes last December 13th. It was deemed proof of such ties between the officers and the inmates. Joint Superintendent was threatened by DPOs Manikandan and Udayakumar. However, no action was taken against them.

Bribes transferred to accounts
There is a group of such officers who violate rules and ‘aid’ the prison inmates. These officers get their bribes from the relatives of the inmates through Google Pay, other modes of account transfer and online transaction methods.

The report has directed to check their bank accounts, probe all suspicious transactions and immediately transfer them.

6 months, 6 scuffles
The prisoners under the KAAPA charges have clashed within the prison with lethal weapons 6 times over the past 6 months. 15 of the prison inmates were involved in these incidents, according to the report.

The former superintendent at Viyyur was suspended for lapses in service for supporting prisoners including Kodi Suni.