Ludhiana: The city's high-security prison, known for its vulnerable perimeter, has been equipped with advanced 5G signal-blocking shields to prevent inmates from using smuggled mobile phones to coordinate criminal activities from inside their cells.
The installation of two 'V Kavach' jamming units at Ludhiana Central Jail comes amid mounting judicial pressure to dismantle criminal networks operating from Punjab's correctional facilities. The Punjab and Haryana High Court stepped in to monitor prison security after notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi managed to give a televised interview while allegedly in custody.
More recently, the superintendent of Hoshiarpur jail was transferred following an incident where an inmate uploaded a video levelling serious corruption allegations against prison staff. The new 5G jammers secure a specialised zone housing 16 high-risk inmates, each confined to separate cells.
Jail superintendent Kulwant Singh Sidhu confirmed that the long-awaited hardware is now operational. 'The jail authorities have seized many mobile phones, but more sets continue to be tossed over the walls from the outside,' he said.
'Homes built next to the prison overlook our perimeter, making it easy to toss devices inside. These jammers ensure that even if phones breach the walls, they are rendered useless,' the officer added.
The modern units each have an effective range of 100 metres. While currently restricted to the jail's maximum-security wing, officials plan to phase in more units to cover the entire compound. Ludhiana is one of four major Punjab prisons — including Patiala, Ferozepur, and Hoshiarpur — selected for the initial V Kavach installation.
The security upgrade comes as local police repeatedly link incarcerated inmates to active street crimes. Gang leaders have used smuggled phones to coordinate extortion networks, arrange weapon and drug shipments, and orchestrate targeted killings of rivals via outside accomplices.
