Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 4: In what may perhaps be termed as a potential breach of security, about 10-12 undertrial jail inmates were found doing cleaning work near the jail superintendent's house the outside the jail premises here on Thursday August 4.

More shockingly, even though there were over 10 inmates engaged in the work, there was only one person to guard them.

As per the rules prescribed by the Karnataka prisons department, no jail inmate can be allowed or told to work outside the jail premises. In addition to that, even inside the jail premises, only the convicts are made to work and undertrials cannot be compelled.

When questioned, superintendent V Krishnamurthy admitted that he had sent the inmates outside the jail premises and also gave a vague answer that they were engaged in the cleaning work as part of the 'Swacch Bharat Mission'. He then disconnected the call.

Now questions arise - who would have been responsible if even one of the inmates had escaped from the spot as there was a lone policemen guarding them? What if the inmates had been attacked by those with past enmity?