The West Bengal Government, on the 27th of February, shifted 14 Pakistani prisoners to high security cells.
The decision came after witnessing the tense situation between India and Pakistan, after the Indian Air Force (IAF,) on the 26th of February, launched airstrikes and destroyed the Jaish e Mohammed camps in Balakot.
The move to shift the Pakistani prisoners to a different cell was also made after a certain incident took place in a jail in Rajasthan. A prisoner in the Jaipur Central Jail allegedly killed his cellmate, a 50 year old Pakistani prisoner.
An official of the West Bengal Correctional Services said, “Strict instructions have been issued to separate Pakistani inmates from others following the incident in Rajasthan jail. They have been shifted to high security cells, where heavyweight prisoners, such as those arrested for American Center attack and Maoists have been staying.”
A three layered cordon is set up for the security of the Pakistani prisoners. A total of 14 prisoners were shifted to the high security cells.
The official said, though the prisoners have a good relationship with each other, the officials cannot take any sort of risk after the Pulwama terror attack and the IAF airstrikes.
Speaking about the security arrangements, the official said, a chief warden and a few head warders will always be there to keep an eye on the Pakistani prisoners. The prisoners are strictly instructed to not to go beyond the sensitive zone as of now.
The West Bengal Government official further spoke about the crimes committed by these prisoners and said, “Some were jailed for flouting visa norms, while a few were waiting to be taken to other correctional homes. There are also others who were imprisoned for their involvement in criminal activities.”
Out of the 14 prisoners, 4 were residing at the Presidency Correctional Home, whereas the remaining are from the Dum Dum Central Correctional Home.
