TMCnet News
Cell-phone jammers at Parappana Agrahara exceed all expectations [DNA : Daily News & Analysis (India)](DNA : Daily News & Analysis (India) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) "Bangalore: If you happen to be in the vicinity of Parappana Agrahara central prison in the near future and are unable to make or receive calls, don't fume at your service provider, for the blame lies somewhere else. Cell-phone jammers installed inside the prison are not only blocking mobile phone networks inside the prison, but also in the surrounding areas. Even the staff of the Parappana Agrahara police station are finding it difficult to make calls. The jammers are also hampering police work, as sometimes they have to listen to phone calls of suspects whose phones are being tapped. Due to allegations that inmates of the prison were using mobile phones to orchestrate crimes from the prison, the government had decided to install jammers in the prison. In 2005, attempts to install jammers did not bear fruit, as the jammers began blocking mobile phone networks even outside the prison. As a result, the prison department dropped the project. However, after conducting a trial in 2012, jammers were installed in various phases by the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). Then the trouble began. After the completion of the project, residents of Naganathapura, Hosa Road and surrounding areas of the prison found it hard to make or receive calls. Some of them, thinking the service provider was to blame, even switched to other network operators. Only after two, three unsuccessful attempts did the residents realise the culprit behind their network issues. "Everything was fine till a few months ago. The problem started after the jammer units were installed," said a policeman attached to the Parappana Agrahara police station. "We cannot depend on landline phones always. During emergencies, we find it difficult to make a call. There are also instances where we could not listen to suspects whose phone was being tapped." However, the prison department's ADGP KV Gagandeep said the department had not received any complaints about the jammers. "Jammers were installed after several trial runs. They are blocking mobile phones only in the prison area," he said. " Credit:MG Chetan (c) 2014 @ 2014 DILIGENT MEDIA CORPORATION LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |