Public flay decision to close down Virajpet sub-jail

Sub-jail was constructed in 1932 over 60 cents of land area

Though the jail built during the British period is in a good condition, it is gathering dust since there are no prisoners for the past four months.

Five prisoners had escaped from another sub-jail in K R Nagara recently.  It is said the authorities are worried that similar incidents may occur in Virajpet too due to insufficient staff. Hence, they are planning to close it down.

The sub-jail is inevitable for the eight police stations, five sub-police stations and the court complex in Virajpet. If the jail is closed, all of them have to depend on the district jail at Karnangeri in Madikeri. Police will also find it time consuming to bring the undertrials from the district jail, produce them before the court and send them back to the jail. The sub-jail built in 1932 in a 60 cents land near the taluk stadium, has a capacity of accommodating 30 undertrials. It has a kitchen, toilet and a hall, and is well-equipped with security arrangements.

 The building was renovated five months ago by spending Rs 5.90 lakh as per the special instructions of the Director General of Prisons. Separate facilities have been provided to see that the undertrials do not escape. But, the renovated jail remains vacant. There were six personnel earlier. Since there are no undertrials, only one security staff has been retained.

As the inmates have been shifted to the district jail at Karnangeri, people from Virajpet taluk need to go there to meet the undertrials. It is both the waste of time and money for those coming from the far away Kutta, Srimangala, Hudikeri, Titimati etc.

On the directions of the Director General of Prisons issued on January 29, a total of 22 inmates of the sub-jail were temporarily shifted to Karnangeri, until the building was renovated. Besides, six staff were also shifted except the jailer. Since the staff have been transferred, the Department itself is supporting, though indirectly, the closure of the sub-jail. Objecting the proposed closure, Virajpet Bar Association President I R Pramod said an emergency note has been sent to the Director General of Prisons and the minister concerned appealing them not to close down the sub-jail. Srimangala Nagarika Horata Samiti President A T Kariappa and Congress SC Wing President Palani Prakash have also opposed the move and warned of protests.