Bengaluru jail security breach: Inmate used WhatsApp, Instagram to plan murder

In a major security lapse at the Bengaluru Central Jail, an inmate allegedly coordinated a murder using WhatsApp and Instagram on a smuggled mobile phone, despite the presence of jammers.

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According to The Hindu, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons (Northern Range) T.P. Shesha reported the breach in a letter to Director General (DG) of Prisons and Correctional Services Malini Krishnamurthy on March 26. The letter was prompted by a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s warning about security violations.

Sources revealed that the victim was history-sheeter Jayaram K., who was hacked to death in Soladevanahalli on March 4. Five suspects have been arrested. The DIG’s letter states that an inmate, Manoj alias Kencha, used social media to coordinate the attack and financial transactions linked to the crime also took place within the prison.

Despite 19 jammers and a Tower-Harmonics Call Blocking System installed at Parappana Agrahara jail, inmates have managed to bypass security, while residents in a 3-km radius complain of disrupted networks. Following repeated complaints, the prison department instructed Telecommunication Consultants India Limited (TCIL) to recalibrate the jammers in March, but implementation is still pending.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the security failures, raising concerns over the effectiveness of measures meant to prevent inmate communication with the outside world.