In a major security breach in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, several communication and other gadgets were smuggled into the NSA cell where Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and associates are currently lodged. After conducting a search of the cell after learning about illegal activities inside the jail, officials recovered the items on Saturday, 17 February.
The items recovered from the jail cell include a spy camera pen, a smartphone with SIM, a keypad phone, pen drives, Bluetooth headphones and speakers, a smartwatch, TV remote with keyboard, and several other items.
This was revealed by Assam DGP GP Singh on Twitter. The DGP said that after information about unauthorised activities taking place in NSA cell of the Dibrugarh Central Jail, additional CCTV cameras were installed in public area of NSA Block. Unauthorised activities were confirmed with the CCTV footage, after which jail staff searched the block where Amritpal Singh and his 9 associates are lodged.
GP Singh wrote, “Inputs received confirmed unauthorised activities, based on which Jail staff searched the premise of NSA Cell early this morning, leading to recovery of smartphone with SIM, keypad phone, TV remote with keyboard, spy-cam pen, pen drives, Bluetooth headphone & speakers and smart watch which were lawfully seized by Jail staff.”
The DGP further said that the source of these unauthorised articles and mode of induction into the jail is being ascertained. “Further lawful action is being taken and steps being taken to prevent recurrence,” he added.
Amritpal Singh was brought to the Dibrugarh Central Jail on 23 April 2023 after the Punjab Police arrested him from the state’s Moga district after several weeks of manhunt. His aides were shifted to the jail before and after that during the massive operation against Waris Punjab De. Amritpal Singh and others have been charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
The Central Jail in Dibrugarh has a special cell where prisoners booked under the National Security Act (NSA) have been kept in the past. Reportedly Amritpal Singh is lodged in a solitary cell away from his aides.
The jail has a multi-tier security system, including 24-hour three-tier security, CCTV cameras, and coordination between the state and central forces. Following Amritpal Singh and others were shifted to the jail, its security was further heightened. While the jail has never faced any incident of prison break in its history of 170 years, the discovery of gadgets in the NSA cell is a major security breach.
