Making of a safe haven for criminals
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: September 03, 2012 -

Police and Sajiwa jail staffs parading the two VDF men held for smuggling in goods :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

To state simply, jail or prison is a correctional institution for detaining either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving sentence.

Being a part of the larger penal system which includes other aspects of criminal justice such as courts, law enforcement, etc, this correctional institution is supposed to serve mainly three purposes.

Firstly, to rehabilitate offenders; secondly, to deter future offenders, and lastly, to protect the society from such offenders. Viewed against this backdrop, it is sad to note that Sajiwa Jail at Khabeisoi in Imphal East district has become a safe haven not only for criminals and convicts alike but also for their 'cohorts in Khakis'.

In such a situation, the arrest of two VDF personnel by jail staffs for trying to smuggle in eight packets of Khaini and two packets of cigarettes is not at all surprising.

In fact, it is the proverbial tip of the iceberg of the rot of within jail administration in the state.

What is even more interesting is the fact that the arrest has come about despite the tall claim of stepping up security measures in the wake of jailed UG leaders finding it more convenient to operate from within the confined of the strong walls of the jail through mobile phones.

Of course, this is not the first time that security personnel have been rounded up for trying to smuggle in 'incriminating goods' inside Sajiwa jail.

Some time earlier, some police commandos were detained for similar attempt of smuggling in not just some Khaini or cigarette packets but also mobile phones inside Sajiwa jail.

However, the arrest of two VDF personnel as well as two other persons, who were allegedly involved in sending e-mails to media houses on behalf of certain UG groups and the bombing attack at the residence of President of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union in the evening of August 11, have come about after Home Minister Gaikhangam had given strict instructions for stepping up security measures after a personal visit to the jail on May 2 last.

So, this only goes to show how 'secure' is the Sajiwa jail for criminals and convicts!

Caught off guard, it is interesting to note that Jail SP IK Muivah tried his level best to convince the people that the problem of inmates operating from inside the jail through mobile phones is not an isolated case in Manipur and even the widely known and secured Tihar Jail at Delhi faced the same problem.

Well, this is not an issue of whether the same problem exists in other jails or not, but one of accountability.

By the way, apart from rapping on the knuckles of some sepoys, why is that we have not heard or come across any higher officers concerned of the Home Department facing music for converting Sajiwa Jail into a safe haven for criminals and convicts?

Perhaps, this is also a problem in all jails and why to single out Sajiwa Jail. Right?