By Sanjeev Kumar Singh Chauhan

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS): A major security breach has been reported in Tihar Jail, the largest high-security prison complex in South Asia, after a woman posing as an NGO worker broke through the jail security to meet her lover who is serving life imprisonment there.

The Director General of Prisons, Sandeep Goyal, has formed a committee headed by Deputy Inspector General (Prisons), Rajesh Chopra, to conduct a high-level inquiry into the matter. The committee started its investigations on Tuesday.

The committee will look into the "friendly relations" between the woman and the Superintendent of Prison No. 2, Ram Mehar, and find out how the Delhi woman hatched the plot to enter the hugh-security prison.

Initial investigation revealed that the woman's lover, Hemant Garg, was the mastermind behind the plan. A resident of Uttam Nagar, Garg is serving life imprisonment in Tihar Jail for the past many years and works as a computer operator in the office of the Superintendent of Prison No. 2 for the last two years.

According to sources, Ram Mehar blindly trusted Garg, so much so that the latter used the office computer for his personal use.

As per the sources in the Directorate General of Prisons, the probe team is also trying to figure out whether any confidential information related to the prison has been leaked from Mehar's computer.

Underworld don Chhota Rajan, convicted criminal and former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and dreaded Delhi gangster Neeraj Bawana are lodged in Prison No. 2.

"It is a case of serious negligence. Once the investigation committee submits its report, it will be clear who is responsible for the negligence.

"Strict action will be taken against the person involved so that in future no one dares to breach its security," Director General of Prisons, Sandeep Goyal, told IANS.