‘Chronic staff shortage, weak surveillance and outdated jammers’: Panel flags major lapses at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison

The review was ordered after videos went viral showing inmates, including notorious criminals and a terror suspect, allegedly receiving preferential treatment inside Parappana Agrahara, triggering concerns over security, discipline and governance within Karnataka’s prison system.

Staff shortage

According to the report, Parappana Agrahara houses 4,834 inmates but has only 571 staff members, leaving 388 posts vacant. This creates a prisoner-staff ratio of 1:9, well above the 1:6 ratio prescribed by the Model Prison Manual. When accounted for across three shifts, the ratio rises to 1:27 per shift, meaning one officer is responsible for nearly 30 inmates at a time.

Other central prisons fare slightly better but still fall short of safety norms. Mysuru Central Prison has 774 inmates for 133 staff, while Bellary has 457 inmates for 93 staff. The committee has called for urgent filling of all vacant posts, rotation of staff every three years with a two-year cooling-off period, and annual modern training programs for officers.

Mobile smuggling and failed jammers

The committee noted that mobile phone smuggling remains rampant, largely because the jammers at Parappana Agrahara cannot block 5G signals. Despite a Karnataka High Court order in 2021 directing strict control of mobile use, the outdated equipment leaves gaps that inmates exploit. The panel recommended upgrading jammers to 5G-compatible systems, placing portable low-intensity jammers in identified blind spots, and keeping all controls strictly under the Chief Superintendent to prevent misuse.

As per the report, between January 2021 and November 15, 2025, 154 FIRs were registered in Bengaluru concerning illegal activities in Central Prisons. As of November 15, 2025, all 154 cases remain pending at the police station level.

The committee also pointed to serious infrastructure gaps at Parappana Agrahara. Unlike Tihar or Chanchalguda, the jail lacks a buffer zone, leaving it exposed to smuggling. Boundary walls are often under 20 feet, while watch towers are too low for effective surveillance. The committee recommended raising walls to 30 feet, installing fine-mesh anti-throwing nets, adding solar fencing, and raising the height of watch towers.

Construction delays elsewhere exacerbate overcrowding. Barracks at Shivamogga, Vijayapura, and other prisons remain unfinished, forcing more inmates into already cramped spaces. The committee stressed that new prison projects must be expedited.

Surveillance inside the jail is critically weak. Parappana Agrahara has only 332 CCTV cameras, covering barely 6.6 per cent of inmates, compared with 8,600 cameras at Tihar Jail. Barracks remain largely unmonitored, and even toilets have no cameras, except for limited voice-recording devices. The panel has recommended round-the-clock monitoring, AI-enabled cameras to detect smoking or mobile use, body-worn cameras for all officers, and a central command centre for real-time monitoring.

Welfare and administrative gaps

The report highlighted a lack of inmate engagement and welfare programs. Unlike Chanchalguda, Parappana Agrahara offers little opportunity for skill development or vocational work. The panel recommended low-capital prison industries, wellness activities like yoga and meditation, mental health counselling, and post-release employment support.

Administrative weaknesses were also flagged. First-time offenders are housed with habitual criminals, women staff are often misallocated, FIRs remain unresolved, and Prison Visitor Boards rarely meet. The committee called for prisoner segregation, proper staff allocation, and stronger oversight.

Other lapses include unauthorised food and parcels, weak internal intelligence, unnecessary medical referrals, and informal lawyer visits without CCTV. The panel recommended stricter food and parcel checks, structured intelligence networks, and standardised lawyer visit procedures.

The report portrays Parappana Agrahara as under-resourced, structurally vulnerable, and poorly monitored, with similar issues across other Karnataka jails.

Command centre to be launched

The state’s Central Prison Command Centre is set to be officially launched on January 21, providing round-the-clock monitoring of prisons across Karnataka. The centre will oversee 900 CCTV cameras installed in various jails, all upgraded with AI technology to track and monitor sensitive inmates continuously. Modelled on command centres used for traffic and police management, this facility is dedicated exclusively to prison security. In addition, drone cameras will supplement surveillance, enhancing real-time oversight of prison premises.