2 days ago
Rajasthan Jail CCTV Failed Before Dacoit Jagan Gurjar’s Murder
Jagan Gurjar was an inmate in a high-security jail in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
On June 29, another inmate named Vishnu allegedly strangled him.
Police said the attack happened during the day.
The camera near Gurjar’s cell had stopped working several days earlier.
The jail had many other cameras that were also broken or unreliable.
Jail officials said they had repeatedly asked another government department to fix the equipment.
The Rajasthan High Court became concerned about how prisoners were being protected.
It ordered the CCTV systems to be repaired immediately.
Jagan Gurjar, a 52-year-old former Chambal dacoit, was strangled by cellmate Vishnu on June 29.
Police told the Rajasthan High Court that the camera near Gurjar’s cell stopped working on June 24.
The prison has 319 cameras, including 61 that were nonfunctional and about 20 affected by recurring power problems.
The jail administration said it had repeatedly reported camera, UPS, and monitor failures without receiving repairs.
The High Court took suo motu cognisance and ordered the prison’s CCTV systems repaired immediately.
- Who
- Jagan Gurjar, a 52-year-old inmate, was allegedly killed by his cellmate Vishnu.
- What
- Gurjar was allegedly strangled in a high-security jail, while nearby CCTV coverage was unavailable.
- Where
- The killing took place in a high-security jail in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
- When
- The killing occurred on June 29, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; the camera had stopped on June 24.
- Why
- The Rajasthan High Court acted after the killing raised concerns about prisoner safety and defective prison surveillance.
Court’s Safety Concerns
Jail Administration’s Technical-Failure Account
Responsibility for surveillance gaps
Court’s Safety Concerns
The Rajasthan High Court treated the murder and defective CCTV coverage as serious concerns requiring immediate repairs.
Jail Administration’s Technical-Failure Account
The jail administration said the failures resulted from technical problems involving cameras, UPS units, and monitors, which it had repeatedly reported.
What happened to the footage
Court’s Safety Concerns
The unavailable camera footage raised questions about how the killing could occur without effective prison surveillance.
Jail Administration’s Technical-Failure Account
Police reported that the camera near the cell had already stopped because of a technical fault, while the investigation also alleged that Vishnu smeared toothpaste on a nearby camera before the murder.
Possible motive for the killing
Court’s Safety Concerns
The incident prompted scrutiny of prisoner placement and inmate safety, including Gurjar’s move to another ward after a dispute with his brother.
Jail Administration’s Technical-Failure Account
Vishnu allegedly told investigators that Gurjar repeatedly taunted him about petty-theft cases and made remarks about Pankaj’s sister, upsetting him before the attack.
Key facts
- Victim
- Jagan Gurjar, 52
- Alleged attacker
- Cellmate Vishnu
- Date of killing
- June 29
- Camera failure
- The camera near the cell stopped on June 24 at 9:16 a.m.
- Prison cameras
- 319 cameras were installed; 61 were nonfunctional and about 20 repeatedly went offline.
- Court action
- On August 24, the Rajasthan High Court directed immediate CCTV repairs.
- Reported maintenance efforts
- The jail administration said it contacted the Department of Information Technology & Communication 10 times between March and June.
Sources
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