Turning jails into reformation centres

25/09/2022

Jails in Jammu and Kashmir during the past three years have changed from radicalization hubs into reformation centres as the hardcore terrorists have been segregated from other inmates. The prisons in the Himalayan region are filled with prisoners, who challenged the sovereignty of India either by taking up arms against the country or by preaching separatism and sedition. Not only locals, many hardcore terrorists hailing from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, are lodged in these jails. These hardcore prisoners till August 5, 2019 -- when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K's special status -- used to pass the directions to their accomplices from within the jails to carry out subversive activities and were instrumental in radicalizing other inmates. They managed to run terror modules from within the prisons and left no opportunity to create disturbance within the jails. But during the past three years the noose has been tightened around them and most of them have been shifted to prisons outside the Union Territory.
After August 5, 2019--when the Centre abrogated Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution--the process to decongest jails in J&K was expedited. During the past three years, many hardcore terrorists have been shifted to prisons outside the Union Territory. In March this year, the authorities shifted 96 detenues to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi jails from J&K. The step was taken to break the nexus of terrorists lodged in high-security Kot Bhalwal Jail and some other prisons in J&K with terror elements operating outside. The 96 detenues, who were shifted included 53 terrorists involved in major terror activities and apprehended during encounters and searches and three criminals booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Rest 40, were moved out from other jails of J&K, including Central Jail Srinagar. After the abrogation of Article 370, the Jammu and Kashmir administration entered into an arrangement with the governments of Haryana, New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for lodging hardcore terrorists there to break their nexus with the outside terror world which they were managing while being kept in the jails of J&K.
The security agencies have formulated a comprehensive strategy to ensure that hardcore terrorists and criminals don't stay in one jail for a long time as they may develop their network even there with the help of criminals lodged in their barracks. The intelligence agencies conducted many raids in Kot Bhalwal Jail, Central Jail Srinagar and other prisons and recovered mobile telephones, SIM cards and other gadgetry from the jail which were being used by terrorists for staying in touch with their colleagues in the Valley and issuing directions from inside. The Prisons Department has been dealing with radicalization inside jails with an iron fist. Prisoners, who are found to be involved in provoking others, are being sent to jails outside J&K. Nearly 150 detenues, including terrorists, were shifted to jails outside J&K from January to August this year. Jails in J&K have been turned into reformation centres where the prisoners are being counselled with the aim that they do not return to prisons after being freed.

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