Madurai: The Additional Director General of Police (Prisons), Shankar, has directed prison authorities across Tamil Nadu to intensify surveillance following reports of inmates going to extreme lengths for even a piece of beedi and using narcotics inside jails.
Tamil Nadu has nine central prisons. Smoking beedis or cigarettes is prohibited inside prisons, and the use of ganja and other narcotic substances is also banned.
However, officials have received information that some inmates returning from court hearings allegedly conceal ganja in body cavities or footwear and sell it to other prisoners at inflated prices. The report also alleges that a few police personnel are complicit.
In addition, some relatives visiting prisoners are said to pass ganja during visits. With many inmates lacking money to buy beedis, disputes and clashes reportedly break out over a single piece, and some prisoners become dependent on those who supply beedis, doing whatever is asked.
After the matter was brought to his attention, ADGP Shankar issued a circular instructing all prison superintendents to strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
