SIMI encounter aftermath: Shivraj Singh Chouhan govt mulls electric fencing in all jails

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government is “seriously” considering installing electric fencing around its 122 jails to enhance prison security in view of the daring Bhopal jailbreak by eight SIMI activists. The eight SIMI undertrial activists had escaped from the high-security Central jail here after killing a head constable on the intervening night of 30-31 October. They were subsequently killed in an alleged encounter on the outskirts of the city on 31 October. After the encounter, conflicting versions from police and state Home Minister surfaced, leading to allegations that it might be fake. [caption id=“attachment_3091712” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. PTI[/caption] “A top official has already left for Chhattisgarh to study the electric fencing of the jails in the wake of the Bhopal jailbreak. We are seriously thinking about following suit of the neighbouring state,” MP Prison Director General (DG) Sanjay Choudhary told PTI on Sunday. He, however, did not disclose the name of the official who has left for Chhattisgarh. The security audit of the MP jails is underway, after which measures will be taken to ramp up the security of prisons, the DG said. Asked about the Madhya Pradesh government’s move to increase the height of boundary walls of the prisons across the state, Choudhary said all these things will be done after taking into account the security audit report of the jails, which is currently underway. “We are not going to enhance jail security on piecemeal basis, rather we are going to initiate measures in one go after the report of jail security audit,” he added. Earlier, the state government had ordered a judicial probe into the sensational jail-break and the alleged encounter. The probe will be conducted by retired High Court Judge Justice S K Pandey.