No portraits of film stars, netas in Kerala jails

Authorities across Kerala removed portraits of politicians and film stars from major jails on Sunday and were also preparing to shuffle prisoners between prisons, an official said.

Such portraits in jail were inappropriate, the official said. The reshuffle of prisoners, which would entail lodging prisoners outside the area where they had committed crimes would prevent interference with investigation.

“It was only last night that the Home minister signed the order and we swung into action without any delay. More than 250 pictures were removed, the maximum in Kannur jail, besides at the central prison here,” Additional Director General of Police (Jails), Alexander Jacob said.

“The decision to remove the pictures of religious deities has been deferred and will be taken up in the next round,” he said.

The pictures of legendary CPM and Congress leaders as well as film stars occupied the walls of major jails, including Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram.

Pictures of leaders like E M S Namboodiripad, A K Gopalan, Azhikodan Raghavan, Che Guevera, to name a few adorned prison walls.

Prisoners to be shuffled

Jacob also said prisoners would be shuffled from one jail zone to the other.
“Through this, a prisoner in Kannur jail indicted for a crime in Kannur will now be moved to another jail, far away from Kannur. Through this we expect to keep away the prisoners from their close aides,” added Jacob.

These changes have been in the pipeline ever since the Oommen Chandy government assumed office last year and Chandy gave up the home portfolio in favour of his trusted lieutenant Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.