Official assures to restrict mobile phone jammer coverage within Mangaluru prison premises

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, February 25, 2025: Following complaints by residents that installation of mobile network jammer in the Mangaluru District Prison affected students and residents in the vicinity, a prison official has assured of restricting coverage of the jammer within the prison premises.

Mangaluru Prison Superintendent Ashe Khan said the mobile network jammer was not working in the prison for the last two years. The department selected a vendor for installation of a new mobile jammer recently. 

“Few days ago technicians installed the new jammer. It was switched on for testing.  Soon after that I got complaints from residents in the vicinity about their mobile networks getting disrupted, following which I asked the personnel to switch off the jammer,” said Mr. Khan.

He said mobile jammer is necessary for security of the prison inmates. ‘Steps will be taken to restrict coverage of the jammer within the prison premises,” Mr. Khan said.

The mobile jammer was first installed in Mangaluru prison following double murder of prison inmates in 2016. Soon after installation, residents in the vicinity complained about disruption in  mobile network.

Then the Prison Department took up construction of new prison in over 60 acres of land in Mudipu. The construction of the new prison is yet to be completed.

Of those affected by recent trial run of the jammer included Nityananda, who runs a juice outlet near the prison. “Few days ago, network of BSNL and another private mobile service provider went down all of a sudden. It took time for food delivery executives in the prison vicinity to receive orders on their phone, which resulted in delay in picking up orders from my place,” he said.  

There were also complaint from a hotel in the vicinity that customers had problem in making online payment of their bills.  Some of the students said they were unable attend online classes.