Soon, CCTVs outside jail to gather criminal intelligence

Cams to keep watch on movement of people visiting criminals lodged in jail

LUCKNOW: To collect criminal intelligence, the Lucknow police is planning to install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras outside district jail.

The cameras will be strategically placed to keep a watch on the movement of people coming to visit dreaded criminals lodged in the jail.

Inspector general of police (IGP) of Lucknow range Jai Narain Singh came up with the idea while holding a crime review meeting with police officers on Tuesday night. He said the criminal intelligence will be helpful in curbing crime incidents and tracking accomplices of criminals lodged in the jail.

Singh said superintendent of police (SP), rural, Satish Kumar had been made the nodal officer for the project and Mohanlalganj circle officer (CO) Rajkumar Shukla will assist him in assessing the approach routes to the jail and identity the strategic points where CCTV cameras can be installed to keep a watch on each and every person visiting the jail. He said the report has been sought from them in a week time after which the installation process will be initiated.

He said a control room would be set-up at the nearest police outpost from where the devoted staff will keep continuous vigil on visitors.

The IG said the information related to visitors will be utilised by police personnel in generating criminal intelligence about the movement of different gangs and their activities outside the jail.

He said the cameras would also be helpful in keeping track on criminals getting bailed out from jail.

Moreover, the vigilance might also help the city cops in carrying out checking of visitors to tighten noose on gangsters lodged in the jail.

Singh said the officers had also been asked to work on other options for criminal intelligence.

He said they have suggested deploying cops in civvies outside and on the court premises to keep watch on criminals visiting there on court dates.

He said they have been asked to installed CCTV cameras at the court lock-up to keep watch on the movement of jail inmates being taken on court dates. The cameras at the court lock-up might also help in curbing incidents of jail inmates escaping from there, he said.

INFORMATION RELATED TO VISITORS WILL BE UTILISED BY POLICE IN GENERATING CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF DIFFERENT GANGS OUTSIDE THE JAIL