MP jails located in densely-populated areas to be shifted

Jails in Madhya Pradesh located in densely-populated areas will be shifted out as part of a security overhaul exercise undertaken by the Government in the backdrop of escape of eight SIMI men from a prison in October.
Madhya Pradesh Government has proposed to shift jails from densely-populated areas to outskirts of cities in a bid to strengthen security of prisons, said an officer from the Public Relations Department today.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan issued directives to officials to prepare a proposal in this regard at a review meeting of Jail Department here, he said.
"The officials were told to prepare the proposal to shift jails located in the densely-populated areas to other places," he said.

The department officials were also told to look into requirements of the high-security jails and take steps to increase vigil in and around their premises, he said.
In the early hours of October 31, eight operatives of the banned outfit SIMI had escaped from Bhopal Central Jail after killing a prison guard. The police, however, hunted them down and killed them in an encounter within hours of the jailbreak.
Since then the Government has been focusing on scaling up the security of jails.
"In the meeting, the Chief Minister also told the officials to look into the possibility of constructing jails covered with concrete roof and also egg-shaped cells (to house dreaded criminals)," the official added.