After 16 mobiles were recovered during a state-wide “surprise checks” conducted in 17 jails in Gujarat recently, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi told the state legislature Wednesday that the mobile jammers installed in the jails were based on 2G technology and will be replaced by new jammers with 5G technology. “These raids conducted simultaneously in all the 17 jails involved 1,700 police personnel and went on for four hours,” Sanghavi told the House under Rule-116 of the state Assembly. The minister said there were 16,000 people lodged in the jails and surprise checks recovered 16 mobiles, 10 electronic items, 39 dangerous items and narcotics substances in three places. “Mobile jammers are installed to ensure greater security of the jails. But with residential areas cropping up near the jails, the mobiles (inside the jails) work as the jammers are based on 2G technology. In the coming days, jammers with 5G technology will be bought to ensure that big jails remain secure,” Sanghvi. “The surprise checks were meant to keep the system fool-proof,” he added.
