Archive · 16 Jan 2026
Panel flags major lapses at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison
A big report about a very important jail in Karnataka, India, says there are many problems.
The jail has too many prisoners and not enough staff.
The staff-to-prisoner ratio is very high, which means the staff can't keep an eye on everyone properly.
The jail also has old technology that doesn't stop prisoners from using mobile phones, and there aren't enough cameras to watch everything.
The report says the jail needs more staff, better technology, and more cameras to make it safer.
They also need to fix the walls and towers to stop people from throwing things in.
The report suggests many changes to make the jail better and safer for everyone.
Parappana Agrahara Central Prison faces severe staff shortages with 388 vacant posts, creating a prisoner-staff ratio of 1:9.
Outdated mobile jammers fail to block 5G signals, leading to rampant mobile phone smuggling despite a 2021 court order.
The prison has only 332 CCTV cameras, covering just 6.6% of inmates, with critical areas like barracks and toilets unmonitored.
Infrastructure gaps include low boundary walls, inadequate watch towers, and lack of a buffer zone, exposing the jail to smuggling.
The state's Central Prison Command Centre, launching on January 21, will provide round-the-clock monitoring with 900 AI-enabled CCTV cameras and drone surveillance.
- Who
- High-level committee headed by ADGP R Hitendra
- What
- Report highlighting major lapses at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison
- When
- Report submitted on Wednesday, Central Prison Command Centre to launch on January 21
- Where
- Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, Karnataka
- Why
- To address severe staff shortages, weak surveillance, outdated jammers, and administrative lapses
- Inmate count
- 4,834
- Staff count
- 571
- Vacant posts
- 388
- Prisoner-staff ratio
- 1:9
- CCTV cameras
- 332
- FIRs registered (Jan 2021 - Nov 2025)
- 154
- Launch date of Central Prison Command Centre
- January 21