Bhopal:
A high-security jail in Bhopal finds itself in the eye of a storm after a China-made drone was discovered inside its premises. The drone reportedly lay undetected for eight days before it was finally spotted by a staffer in Bhopal Central Jail on Wednesday, raising serious questions about security lapses and negligence.
It was located by a duty guard near B block – a section close to the high-security ‘anda cells’ – called so because of their oblong shape – housing 69 terrorists – in the ISO-certified prison.
Critics have raised concerns about the apparent negligence of jail authorities, who failed to detect the drone in a facility where security is paramount.
Speaking to reporters, Narendra Shivaji Patel, a minister in Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s cabinet though praised the vigilance of the security personnel. “If anyone saw the drone first, it was our security team,” he stated.
He assured, “Due to the alertness of our jail management, the drone has been recovered. A comprehensive investigation is underway.”
However, Rakesh Bangre, the jail superintendent, cited confusion as the reason for the oversight. “There was some misunderstanding, which is why the guard might not have noticed the drone initially,” he said.
The drone, equipped with two cameras, has been claimed by a local doctor, Dr Swapnil Jain, who said he bought it for his son. Bhopal Police Commissioner Hari Narayanchari Mishra, along with his team, tested the drone and confirmed the doctor’s claim.
“The drone went out of control on December 31 and fell near the Anda Cell. We found it yesterday and have identified its owner,” Mr Bangre explained.
Despite the jail’s multi-layered security, including jammers and CCTV, the incident has highlighted vulnerabilities.
The discovery has fueled anxiety given the proximity of the drone to the ‘anda cell’, which holds terrorists from organisations like SIMI (Students’ Islamic Movement of India), PFI (Popular Front of India), HuT (Hizb ut-Tahrir), JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh), and ISIS.
The jail has a capacity of 2,600 inmates but currently houses 3,600. Despite the overcrowding, strict measures are in place, with two guards assigned per terrorist. Inmates are allowed outside for limited hours each day under close watch.
The government is now considering stricter measures, including declaring the jail and its surrounding areas as a “no-fly zone.”
The jail hit headlines when on the intervening night of October 30 and 31, 2016, when eight undertrial prisoners, accused of being members of SIMI, escaped from the facility. These individuals were later killed in a controversial police encounter, approximately 15 km from the jail, raising numerous questions about the nature of the operation and the security measures at the jail.
Over the years, several cases of violence were reported from the jail.
On December 27, 2017, a violent clash over standing in a queue left one prisoner severely injured. On April 14, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a minor altercation over food escalated into a full-blown brawl between prisoners. On February 20, 2023, SIMI terrorist Ejaz stabbed another prisoner with a blade following an argument
On November 6, last year, a prisoner named Rajesh, attacked Shahid, who was imprisoned over his links with ISIS.
