By The Sampadak Express
In a sweeping move to dismantle entrenched corruption and break drug trafficking networks inside prisons, the Punjab Government has suspended 25 jail officials, including three Deputy Superintendents and two Assistant Superintendents.
The action comes in the wake of multiple reports flagging irregularities and the rampant smuggling of drugs and contraband within jail premises. Officials said the suspensions are part of a broader strategy to reform prison management, enforce accountability, and curb the growing influence of gangsters and drug networks behind bars.”
Based on credible inputs regarding corruption and drug trafficking inside jails, decisive action has been taken to restore order and transparency,” a senior official said on the condition of anonymity. “This is a step towards systemic reform that aims to enhance prison security and operational efficiency.”
Drug Networks Flourishing Behind Bars
Over the years, Punjab’s prisons have increasingly become hubs for criminal activity. Gangsters have reportedly been operating drug syndicates using smuggled mobile phones, often aided by complicit jail staff and visitors employing ingenious methods to sneak in banned substances.
In a recent incident, jailed pastor Bajinder Singh serving a life sentence for a 2018 rape conviction was found in possession of a mobile phone and cash inside his Mansa district jail cell. Authorities have now booked him under the Prisons Act for violating jail rules.
Earlier this month, on June 9, an Assistant Sub-Inspector and a head constable were arrested for allegedly facilitating drug and contraband smuggling at Ropar district jail. Just weeks prior, on May 15, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Security) at Sangrur jail was arrested for his alleged role in drug trafficking.
Overcrowding and Addiction CrisisPunjab’s prison system is under severe strain, currently housing around 36,000 inmates against a sanctioned capacity of 26,000. The rise in inmate numbers is largely attributed to the state’s ongoing anti-drug drive, Yudh Nashian Virudh (War Against Drugs), which has resulted in thousands of arrests.
A statewide screening conducted in 2022 painted a grim picture of drug addiction behind bars. Of the nearly 30,000 inmates screened, around 47% approximately 14,000 individuals were found to be drug-dependent. Alarmingly, many inmates reported developing addictions after being incarcerated. Morphine, tramadol, and buprenorphine emerged as the most commonly abused substances.
Tech-Based Interventions
In a bid to curb mobile phone usage and tighten security, the Special Task Force last year transferred over 200 inmates to the high-security Bathinda Central Jail, which is equipped with advanced mobile signal jamming technology.
Officials say the latest crackdown is only the beginning of a series of reforms aimed at cleaning up Punjab’s prison system. The government is expected to roll out further administrative measures in the coming weeks, as part of its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and drug abuse in custodial settings.
