Sniffer dogs to track drugs, phones in Jaipur jail

JAIPUR: In a first, sniffer dogs will search for drugs and mobile phones hidden by inmates inside the jail.
DG (jail) N R K Reddy told TOI that the jail department has received the sanction for four dogs which will be trained to sniff out mobile batteries, SIM cards and narcotic substances.
“The dogs will be given to the 13th RAC (Rajasthan Armed Constabulary) battalion that guards the Jaipur Central Jail.We have introduced the canine element into the regular search as an experiment, if it yields good results, then we may deploy dogs across all major jails in the state,” he said. The sources informed TOI that mobile jammers in central jails have proved to be inefficient. “Dogs can easily detect explosives and narcotic. They will also be trained to sniff out mobile parts inside the jail,” Reddy said.
The central jail in Jaipur have state-of-the-art body scanners devices at entrance gates, yet, the guards have on multiple occasions found inmates using their mobile phones.
“Sometimes the entire cell or ward uses the same phone with different sim cards. Sniffer dogs are highly efficient way to tackle the menace,’ an official said.
If the experiment succeeds in Jaipur, the jail department in second phase will deploy the canine squad to Ajmer high security prison where dreaded convicts are kept for better monitoring. The jail authorities for past several months have been conducting frisking operations inside the jail premises and seized mobile phones and narcotic substances.
The sources said that despite constant vigil, narcotic substances find its way into the jail. “We are making ways to check that these contrabands are not smuggled into the jail, the dogs will also be deployed outside the main wall to check each person that enter into the premise,” the official said.