Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh): Almost a month ago, much before Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated, the authorities at the Bareilly District Jail in Uttar Pradesh were asked to make necessary preparation to house some "high-profile" prisoners.
Jail Superintendent U.K. Misra, District Magistrate V.K. Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Muniraj G. had also visited the prison complex to take stock of the arrangements.
However, they were all clueless about the identity of prisoners who were to be brought.
"We had been told to shift local inmates kept in isolation ward to somewhere else. Nobody knew who are the new prisoners and where were they going to come from," the jail superintendent said.
On August 10, a total of 20 inmates from various jails of Jammu and Kashmir were shifted to the Bareilly District Jail.
As part of the preparation, the entire campus had been covered with over 200 pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) security cameras which are capable of having remote directional and zoom control.
PTZ cameras were also installed at isolation cells where these prisoners from the valley have been kept to keep a close eye on their activities.
These prisoners have not been allowed to interact with other inmates in the jail.
A top jail official said that in Agra, Kashmir prisoners have been kept in the central jail while in Bareilly, the district jail was given preference due to several reasons.
"First of all, this prison has a new complex having all latest technology and other infrastructure. Besides, the number of inmates is well below capacity," he explained.
Against the capacity of 4,000 inmates, the Bareilly District Jail, at present houses 2,718 inmates.
On Monday, the prisoners from Jammu and Kashmir offered "namaaz" in the morning and the jail staff extended greetings on the occasion of Eid, as is the practice on every festival.
Jail officials say that these prisoners may have difficulties in acclimatizing to the Uttar Pradesh weather conditions.
For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App.
Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
2.5 mn Muslims to stand on Plains of Arafat today to mark key ritual of Haj
Also Read
Hajj 2019 Begins, Read Step By Step Guide
Eid al Adha celebrated across India with traditional fervour
Ryan International School back in news for wrong reasons, experts worried
Huawei unveils first smart screen running Android rival HarmonyOS
How dare a Muslim dominated state exist in India? Reactions pour against Article 370 abrogation
10 lakh people in Auto Component Sector may lose jobs if slowdown continues
Day after claiming Babri Masjid land, Nirmohi Akhara says possession papers lost
Now, Nirmohi Akhara lays full claim on Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya
Sales plunge, inventories pile up; slowdown puts auto sector in reverse gear
Kerala Rains: Death toll 28; 64K shifted in 738 relief camps
NC challenges in Supreme Court revoking of Kashmir special status
Not once while in Delhi have I seen the 'dard' of Kashmir and its people: Karan Singh
