A Chinese-made drone was discovered inside the high-security zone of Bhopal Central Jail on Wednesday, raising serious concerns about prison security. The lightweight UAV, weighing approximately 50 grams, was spotted by a duty guard near the B-Block, close to the ‘anda cell,’ a section that houses 32 high-risk inmates, including SIMI activists linked to terrorism and anti-national activities.
This high-security area has a grim history, notably the 2016 jailbreak, when eight undertrials killed a guard, escaped, and were later neutralized. To prevent such incidents, prisoners are shuffled weekly between barracks. The presence of the drone in this sensitive area has intensified the investigation.
Jail Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Bangre confirmed the incident, noting that while the drone is small, its proximity to critical zones warrants a thorough probe. Initial suspicions suggest it may have been used to smuggle contraband into the prison. “We are ensuring all precautions to address any security threat,” Bangre stated.
Intelligence agencies are now involved in the investigation, attempting to determine whether the drone was operated from within the prison’s vicinity or by external elements. Despite multiple layers of security and advanced signal jammers installed at the prison, this breach has raised alarms. CCTV footage is being analyzed, and surveillance measures are being tightened to uncover how the drone bypassed these defenses.
The incident highlights evolving security challenges in high-security prisons and the need for enhanced measures to counter sophisticated threats like UAVs.