23 Mobiles seized from Central Jail despite multi-layer security
Ferozepur, October 14, 2025: In a major security breach, authorities at Central Jail Ferozepur recovered 23 mobile phones and other contraband items during search operations conducted on October 8, 10, and 11, 2025. The items, believed to have been thrown into the high-security facility from outside, highlight persistent vulnerabilities in the prison’s defences.
The seizure included 16 keypad mobiles and 7 touchscreen phones, along with 700 grams of loose zarda (chewing tobacco), 14 grams of black-colored intoxicating powder, 23 grams of white-colored intoxicant powder, 135 zarda sachets, 110 bundles of bidis, 12 headphones, 8 data cables, and 1.90 grams of a suspected intoxicant. These unclaimed banned items were found scattered across the jail premises, including the roof of the high-security zone.
A case has been registered against unidentified persons on the complaint of the Assistant Superintendent of Central Jail, Ferozepur, under Sections 52-A and 42 of the Prisons Act. Jail authorities have also sought legal action against those involved in smuggling the contraband.
The incident underscores an alarming trend in mobile recoveries from the jail: 70 in 2019, 130 in 2020, 265 in 2021, 437 in 2022, 469 in 2023, 510 in 2024, and 514 up to October 2025. Smuggling is often attributed to the jail’s proximity to high-rise residential buildings, enabling outsiders to hurl items inside despite three layers of security.
Mobile phones—most sought after by inmates—allow prisoners to stay connected with the outside world, perpetuate criminal activities, and even make extortion and threatening calls from behind bars. While official complicity cannot be ruled out, cases are usually limited to registration, as taking prisoners on remand poses significant security risks. There is a need for stricter parole scrutiny, especially for inmates previously caught with banned items, to curb inflows and maintain discipline.