15 mobile seized from prisoners in Jail search operation
Ferozepur, January 25, 2026: In a major push to sanitise the local prison complex, authorities recovered 15 mobile phones—comprising seven keypad devices and eight touchscreens—from 11 inmates during a rigorous search operation.
The prisoners linked to the recovery have been identified as Sukhchain Singh alias Lucky, Sandeep Singh, Rahul, Gurvinder, Nirmal Singh, Jasmail Singh, Balwinder Singh, Babboo, and Surinder Singh. Following the seizure, a formal case has been registered, and Investigating Officer (IO) Sharma Singh has been tasked with uncovering the supply chain that allowed these devices to reach the interior of the jail.
The police have indicated a cautious approach toward the investigation, noting that taking all involved prisoners into police remand is avoided due to the high security risks associated with transporting inmates from the jail to the police station. Consequently, intensive follow-up and remand will be reserved primarily for high-profile cases. This latest recovery underscores a troubling trend; data show that contraband seizures have been on a steady rise, peaking last year. Besides, there had been recoveries of other banned items like chargers, data cables, pen drives, head-phones, drugs, zarda sachets, cigarettes, etc. The current year has started on a similar trajectory, with 53 phones already recovered during just three search operations in the first month.
Several structural vulnerabilities are behind the recoveries of banned items that facilitate this illegal trade, including the proximity of high-rise residential buildings and open spaces at the rear of the jail, which provide easy vantage points for throwing packets over the perimeter walls. To address these lapses, the administration is reportedly planning to deploy advanced technology, including whole-body scanners and high-frequency jammers, to neutralise the usage of mobile phones for both personal and anti-social activities.