BENGALURU, India — Authorities at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison suspended three staff members on Sunday, March 29, 2026, following a major security breach involving inmates using mobile phones to record and leak videos. The incident has triggered an internal probe into what officials describe as a deliberate attempt by inmates to demoralize the prison administration and stall ongoing reforms.
The scandal erupted after three video clips, reportedly recorded by under trial prisoners, surfaced on a local news portal around 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. In the footage, inmates were heard making bold claims about having unrestricted access to mobile phones and were even seen discussing current events, such as the March 28 IPL matches between RCB and SRH, while mockingly chanting the slogan, "Ee sala cup namde."
Furthermore, the prisoners used the platform to level serious allegations against senior leadership, purportedly targeting Director General of Police (Prisons) Alok Kumar by falsely claiming that high-ranking officials had personally provided them with the contraband devices.
Following the leak, Chief Superintendent Anshu Kumar led a specialized team in a high-intensity search of the barracks. The team successfully traced the "mischief-mongers" and recovered two mobile phones that had been meticulously concealed. The devices were found packed inside milk packets and hidden deep within a pipe in a toilet chamber.
The primary suspects have been identified as inmates Darshan and Abhi, brothers linked to a murder case in Hennur Bande, along with another inmate, Zypsin Daniel, whose voice was identified in the recordings.
In response to the security lapse, three prison warders were placed under immediate suspension for dereliction of duty. The disciplined staffers, identified as Niranjan Kamath, Hanumantappa Hadpad, and Shivanand Karlabatti, were held accountable for the oversight that allowed the contraband devices to enter the facility. This move underscores the administration's commitment to tightening internal security following the public exposure of the breach.
Additionally, disciplinary action has been initiated against the Jailer who was on supervisory duty during the night of March 27 and the morning of March 28, when the recordings allegedly took place. DGP Alok Kumar noted that the timing of the video was not accidental. The prison had recently implemented a new system of shifting inmates to different barracks based on the alphabetical order of their names to break up criminal gangs and communication links.
"To derail the process of reform, these prisoners deliberately shared the clippings with the media to bring a bad name to the department," Kumar stated. He also flagged a technical concern, noting that active Airtel network signals were detected in certain parts of the prison, prompting a stern warning to the telecom provider to rectify the loophole.