In response to the challenge of prisoners using mobile phones for illegal activities, Burail Jail in Chandigarh is promoting a new plan to deploy portable mobile phone signal jammers in the prison. This move aims to strengthen prison security management and solve the signal interference problem that has long plagued surrounding residents. In recent years, although six 2G signal jammers have been installed inside the prison, due to aging technology, 4G and 5G signals cannot be effectively blocked, resulting in prisoners still being able to contact the outside world through their mobile phones and engage in illegal activities. Therefore, the prison authorities decided to introduce portable blocker jammers to cover specific areas of the prison more flexibly and block prisoners' mobile phone communications.
Portable jammers bring new hope to prison communication management
Burail Jail is located in Sector 51, Chandigarh, covering an area of about 6 acres. With the continuous upgrading of mobile phone technology, the original 2G jammer devices inside the prison have long been unable to meet the shielding needs. In recent years, residents living near prisons have frequently complained about signal interference, which has even affected their daily communications. In response, the prison administration decided to purchase more advanced portable 4G and 5G signal jammers. These new devices are not only more efficient, but also have a coverage range of 100 to 150 meters, and can accurately block mobile phone signals in prisons without interfering with the normal use of surrounding residents.
According to internal sources, such portable blockers have been widely used to prevent cheating in competitive examinations. Burail Prison plans to introduce these devices to prevent prisoners from using their mobile phones to communicate illegally with the outside world. Prison officials said that since the beginning of 2023, they have found up to 10 mobile phones, smart watches and multiple SIM cards in the belongings of prisoners, further proving the urgency of introducing jammer devices.
Improvement measures of prison-related departments
| Infrastructure upgrades to enhance prison management capabilities | In addition to the introduction of portable jammer blockers, Burail Prison also plans to carry out a large-scale upgrade of its infrastructure. It is reported that two new buildings are being planned inside the prison, one of which is a three-story administrative building and the other is a two-story building. These expansion projects will significantly increase the prison's capacity from the current 1,120 to 2,000 inmates, and provide prisoners with better living and management facilities such as a barber shop and video conference room. |
| Burail Prison was established in 1972 as a sub-prison, and was subsequently upgraded to a district prison in 1975 and a central prison in 1990. Although the prison is designed to accommodate 1,120 inmates, the actual number of inmates as of the end of April 2023 has exceeded 1,183, including 52 female inmates. This overload operation has increased the difficulty of prison management, and the problem of mobile phone abuse has made it worse. Therefore, the prison director Deepak Purohit actively promoted the introduction of signal blockers to ensure order and safety in the prison. | |
| Improving the lives of prisoners and enhancing social connections | In addition to upgrading technology and infrastructure, Burail Prison is also committed to improving the spiritual life of prisoners to help them better integrate into society. As a special initiative, after taking over as UT IG (Prisons) in January 2022, Prison Director Purohit launched a monthly broadcast of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Mann Ki Baat" (Voice of the Heart) program. In this activity, prisoners can maintain spiritual connection with the outside world and better understand the expectations and development direction of society. |
| On the recent broadcast day of the program, Purohit listened to the program with prisoners in the barracks, hoping to help the prisoners re-establish correct values and life goals in this way. This is not only a humane attempt at prison management, but also a positive exploration of prisoner transformation. |
Looking to the future: Dual upgrades in technology and management
Burail Prison is trying to meet the multiple challenges of modern management through the deployment of portable signal jammers and the upgrading of infrastructure. As the problem of prisoners using mobile phones becomes more serious, the Chandigarh authorities hope that this pilot project will effectively curb illegal communications and provide replicable solutions for other prisons.
Through a combination of technical means and humane management, Burail Prison strives to provide a more conducive environment for prisoners to transform while ensuring safety. This not only helps to improve the overall management level of prisons, but also sets an example for prison reforms in other regions.
