In a shocking revelation the Jammu and Kashmir CID has alleged that the Srinagar Central Jail is a hub of recruiting militants through a ‘parallel administrative set-up’ of the inmates. The report also mentioned that the role of the jail is so important that every new militant is only recruited after ‘approval’ from inside the prison. The report mentions that the ‘parallel administrative setup’ has an ‘Ameer-e-Zindaan’ (The prison chief) who is appointed by a ‘Shura’ (council) for a period of six months.
The report comes days after the escape of Lashker-e-Taiba militant Mohammed Naveed Jhatt from police captivity in SMHS hospital. Earlier it was reported the high-risk prisoners are being shifted to outside Kashmir jails and the prisons department will conducting review of jails across the state. So far, over 20 high-risk (militant) prisoners have been shifted to outside jails from Kashmir. Director General of Prisons, Dilbagh Singh confirmed shifting of prisoners has taken place. He, however, didn’t divulge number of prisoners shifted to outside from Kashmir prisons.
The measures are being taken by the prisons department in the aftermath of a daring escape by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) top Pakistani militant, Naveed Jhat from the police captivity at Srinagar’s SMHS hospital where he was taken for medical check up on February 6 from Central Jail, Srinagar. Pertinently, Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani warned the government of “serious consequences” if political prisoners, lodged at the Srinagar Central Jail, were shifted to outside Kashmir jails.
He said, “The decision to shift detainees is unconstitutional as according to a ruling by Indian Supreme Court, detainees should be lodged in places where their relatives can easily meet them with ease and without much wastage of time.”