Smartphones seized from Kerala prisons

Smartphones, ganja and liquor were seized from prisoners at the Kannur and Viyyur central prisons in Kerala.

Director general of prisons Rishiraj Singh initiated surprise checks at the prison cells during the wee hours on Saturday with the help of local police.

Four smartphones were sized from the Viyyur central prison in Thrissur and three from Kannur central prison. One of the phones was recovered from a convict in the murder of a dissident CPM leader T P Chandrasekharan.

Prisoners from whom the banned items were seized might be shifted to other prisons and action would be initiated against the prison officials, Singh said.

Earlier also mobile phones were recovered from convicts in political murder cases. There were allegations of political pressure on prison officials to extend undue facilities to the convicts of the political murders.

Small packets of ganja and liquor were also seized from the two prisons. The police registered seven cases in this regard and the calls made using the phones would be analysed.