Karnal (Haryana) [India], January 19 (HBTV): Haryana Director General of Prisons Alok Kumar Roy has said that gangster culture in the state’s prisons has been effectively controlled, as authorities implement wide-ranging reforms including vocational training, education initiatives and the establishment of open-air jails.
Roy said gangster culture, which was earlier glamourised inside prisons, has now been curbed. He noted that complaints related to mobile phone usage and ransom calls from jails, which had earlier become common, have stopped.
‘We controlled gangster activities very efficiently. There were no complaints about the confiscation of mobile phones or ransom calls from jail,’ he said.
Explaining the steps taken, Roy said gangsters were transferred across different jails after he took charge to prevent the formation of organised gangs within prison premises. ‘After I joined, almost 50 gangsters were transferred from one jail to another,’ he said, adding that while such large-scale transfers were unprecedented, they were necessary to curb gangster culture.
He further said that gangsters were treated at par with other inmates and assigned regular prison duties. ‘To control gangster culture, we allotted the same work to these gangsters as we allot to common prisoners. They had to work in maintenance, sanitation and cleanliness,’ Roy said.
The Director General added that vocational training programmes and educational opportunities leading to Class 10, Class 12, BA and MA certificates have been introduced, marking the beginning of structured prisoner rehabilitation in the state. Visuals from prisons showed cultural festivals being organised as part of the reform measures.
Meanwhile, open jails have also been set up as part of the reformation process. In these facilities, selected prisoners are allowed to work outside during the day and return later, with the provision to live with their families in designated accommodation. Strict eligibility criteria apply for placement in open or semi-open jails.
Karnal Superintendent of Prisons Lakhbir Singh Brar outlined the criteria on Saturday. ‘Open jails have been started in Karnal and Faridabad. Under the Haryana Prison Rules, 2022, prisoners who meet certain criteria are considered for placement in open or semi-open jails. To be eligible, a prisoner should have only a single case against them. In these jails, prisoners can live with their families and blood relatives,’ he told ANI. (ANI)