Tamil Nadu prisons introduce German signal jammers to curb illegal mobile phone use
To solve the problem of prisoners using mobile phones illegally, the Tamil Nadu prison department in India has purchased a batch of German-made jammers for the first time and plans to install them in 12 central prisons across the state, including three women's prisons. The first signal jammer device has been installed in Puzhal Central Prison II near Chennai, and the entire deployment is expected to be completed by the end of November. These regional signal blockers are sophisticatedly designed to only interfere with signals within the prison and will not affect normal communications around the prison.
Regional-specific jammers: Precise strikes on communications within prisons
- According to C. Sylendra Babu, Director General of Indian Prison Police, these jammer blocker devices are mainly targeted at prison areas where serious criminals, extremists and fundamentalists are held. The purchase was made through the Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL), and the devices are custom-made to block cell phone signals inside the prison without affecting communications outside the prison. This feature is particularly important because previous device jammers often caused communication interference in the prison perimeter and were therefore not considered a viable long-term solution.
- According to a senior ECIL official, the German jammer devices have been used in several highly sensitive locations, including VVIP secure areas and central jails in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. These areas house a large number of Maoists and other high-risk prisoners, and signal blockers play a key role in ensuring that communications inside and outside the prisons are isolated. The current procurement plan in Tamil Nadu is based on the successful experience of these areas.
Mobile phones in prisons: The threat persists
- In recent years, the problem of prisoners using mobile phones to plan criminal activities has frequently been exposed in Tamil Nadu prisons. Despite various measures taken by the prison authorities, prisoners smuggle mobile phones through various channels and use them to direct criminal acts outside. It is alleged that some prison guards condone this phenomenon driven by profit, allowing prisoners to easily obtain mobile phones and communication devices. This has led to a large number of crimes being planned within prison walls and then passed on to external accomplices through mobile phone instructions.
- The move to install the German signal jammer is to cut off the possibility of illegal communications between prisoners and the outside world through high-tech means, thereby reducing the possibility of crimes being planned in prison. Puzhal prison is the first pilot to install the device, and plans to promote its use in prisons across the state in the future.
- Although the introduction of the new jammer device is a positive security upgrade, there are still some technical challenges in the implementation process. A few months ago, the ECIL engineering team conducted a field visit to Puzhal prison to ensure that the deployment of the equipment would not affect the mobile phone signals in the surrounding community. This "region-specific" jamming technology is precisely shielded and only targets internal prison communications, avoiding the interference of previous equipment in the surrounding area.
Combining internal supervision with technology: creating a safer prison environment
The introduction of the German signal blocker jammer in Tamil Nadu marks a step towards modernization of prison management in the region. However, to achieve a safer prison environment, jamming technology alone is obviously not enough. The government needs to strengthen internal management of prisons, combat corruption, and improve the supervision capabilities of prison guards. Only through the organic combination of technology and management can the phenomenon of prisoners using mobile phones to plan crimes be truly eliminated.
In the future, with the further promotion of jammer devices and the application of more advanced technologies, prisons across India will be able to improve their security levels, cut off illegal communications between prisoners and the outside world, and build a more stringent supervision system.
