Following the killing, the Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and raised grave questions about prisoner safety and the condition of CCTV coverage inside prisons.
According to a report submitted by the jail administration, the camera near the cell where the murder took place stopped functioning on June 24 at 9:16 am due to a technical fault.
The report stated that there are 319 cameras across the prison premises. Of these, 61 are nonfunctional, while about 20 others repeatedly go offline because of UPS or power-related issues.
The jail administration further stated that the technical problems had not been resolved despite writing to the Department of Information Technology & Communication ten times between March and June regarding issues involving cameras, UPS units and monitors.
On June 30, the superintendent again informed the department that the cameras remained defective and that no remedial steps had been taken.
During a hearing on August 24, the Rajasthan High Court directed that the CCTV systems be repaired immediately.
Jagan Gurjar, who made national headlines in 2008 when he allegedly threatened to blow up the residence of then Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, was allegedly strangled with a towel by his fellow inmate Vishnu. According to police, the murder took place between 11 am and 3 pm.
Gurjar had been lodged in the jail since May 16. He was initially housed with his brother, Pappu Gurjar, in Block 4, Ward 3. After a rift with his brother, he requested a transfer and was moved to Ward 2.
There, Gurjar told the warden that he knew several inmates, including Vishnu, who had been in the jail for the last three years.
Following the new arrangement, Vishnu occupied cell 3, Pankaj occupied cell 4, and Jagan occupied cell 5. The three inmates sometimes played Ludo together and were also seen playing the board game on June 27.
During the investigation, Vishnu said Gurjar often taunted him by mocking his alleged petty theft cases and, at times, making remarks about Pankaj's sister. Vishnu was allegedly upset by the taunts.
Vishnu also said that he smeared toothpaste on the nearby CCTV camera before the murder to obscure the footage.
Jagan Gurjar was from Dholpur district and had nearly 100 police cases registered against him at various police stations.
He came into the limelight in 2008 after threatening to blow up Vasundhara Raje's house in Dholpur. He later surrendered in 2009 in front of Congress leader Sachin Pilot.
In June 2019, Gurjar was arrested for allegedly beating up two women and tearing their clothes. Nearly 500 policemen were engaged in the operation to arrest him.
He was arrested again in February 2022 after allegedly threatening to kill then Dholpur MLA Girraj Singh Malinga.
Gurjar was reportedly arrested for the first time in 2001 and was arrested several times subsequently but released on bail.
He had been active in the ravines of Chambal ghati in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, an area infamous for its bandits and dacoits.
According to police, Gurjar had three wives, one of whom was involved with him in his criminal activities.
The alleged murder, combined with the failure of multiple CCTV cameras at the high-security facility, has placed prison surveillance and prisoner safety under judicial scrutiny, with the Rajasthan High Court directing authorities to immediately restore the defective CCTV systems.
About The Author
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comment List