Jail personnel tried using siren at Tihar but button didn’t work: Probe into gangster Tillu’s murder

Tillu was stabbed allegedly by four rival gangsters in Tihar jail last week. A high-level enquiry has been ordered against jail officials for alleged negligence (in security), and weak and delayed response. CCTV footage shows Tillu being stabbed again in the presence of jail officials in the common room.

A jail officer, who refused to be named, said, “We found that several jail officials had pressed the button but it didn’t work at the time of the incident. The officials then rushed to the barracks and helped other jail warders. It was found that there was a short-circuit in the siren machine due to which it didn’t function. It was later fixed.”

An emergency button or siren is an audio-only machine that sends an alert to all prisons, their gates and watch towers when pressed. It can also be heard by Delhi Police personnel who are posted outside Tihar in a PCR van.

Senior jail officials said each jail has at least 3-4 sirens — at offices of superintendent and deputy superintendent, the latter’s internal office and the control room. According to officials, within five minutes of being pressed, the siren alerts all these officials and over 200-250 jail personnel.

When Tillu was attacked, jail officials present at the site were unarmed and had to physically remove him and the accused, said another jail department official. “Had an alarm been used, officials would have been able to shut off all wards, call officials and prevent further fight,” the official added.

Explaining its functioning, an official said siren helps jail officials control an emergency situation in four ways. As soon as the siren is pressed, jail warders lock all wards to prevent crowding and any further disturbance. Secondly, all deputy superintendents, additional deputy superintendents and warders rush to take stock of the situation. The siren helps jail officials as Quick Response Teams at the headquarters rush to the site with weapons. Other jails are also locked. “The sirens are interconnected with all towers, gates and the headquarters. We only press it when we need additional force to prevent a big incident.” said the officer.

Officials said the emergency buttons are used during drill exercises and severe incidents. In jail 8, officials said, the emergency button had not been used in at least the past 7-8 months.

As per the jail manual, emergency situations are listed as escape from prison, prison outbreak, riots, strikes, assault, suicide, accidents, and fire, among others. Officials said sirens are also used during drills, Independence and Republic Day parades.

In July 2018, over a dozen inmates managed to cross two layers of security and break window panes and doors after a fight broke out. The siren was used and more than 200 security personnel came to rescue jail officials.