Jail official held over gadgets seized from 'Waris Punjab De' inmates

The superintendent of Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam was arrested on Friday over the seizure of electronic gadgets, including a smartphone, from the possession of inmates belonging to radical outfit 'Waris Punjab De', police said.

The jail official was arrested early in the morning for "laxity" and is currently at Dibrugarh Sadar Police Station, an officer said.

He said the arrest was made in connection with the seizure of electronic gadgets cells of the National Security Act (NSA) detenues in the jail last month.

Among the gadgets seized from the possession of the inmates belonging to the pro-Khalistani outfit were a smartphone along with a SIM card, a keypad phone, a TV remote with keyboard, a spy-camera pen, pen-drives, a bluetooth headphone and speakers.

"Reference NSA Detenues at Dibrugarh Jail, Assam-On receipt of information about unauthorised activities taking place in NSA cell, additional CCTV cameras were installed in the public area of NSA block," Director General of Police GP Singh had posted on X.

Further, lawful action and steps are being taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents, he added.

Ten members of the pro-Khalistani outfit, including its top leader Amritpal Singh and one of his uncles, are jailed in Dibrugarh since March 19 last year after they were arrested under the NSA from different parts of Punjab following a crackdown on the outfit.

Multi-tier security arrangements were put in place in the jail after the members of the radical outfit were brought there from Punjab. Additional CCTV cameras were installed and all faulty cameras were either replaced or repaired.

The Dibrugarh prison is one of the oldest and most high-security jails in the Northeast. It was constructed in 1859-60.