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Dog squads to be set up to detect illegal drug use in Karnataka prisons

Two Belgian Malinois dogs have been bought for the Bengaluru Central Prisons and trained to sniff out narcotic substances, Home Minister G Parameshwara tells Karnataka’s Legislative Council.

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Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara told the Legislative Council on Thursday that though there are surveillance measures, drugs are entering prisons. (Representational Image/Express file photo)

Following complaints of an increase in the use of illegal drugs in Karnataka prisons, the government will set up dog squads to detect drugs inside them, Home Minister G Parameshwara told the Legislative Council on Thursday.

“Though there are surveillance measures, drugs are entering prisons. It has become difficult for prison staff to identify them. Due to this, the home department is planning to set up dog squads in prisons,” the minister said, responding to BJP MLC Prathap Simha Nayak during Question Hour.

Two Belgian Malinois dogs have been bought for the Bengaluru Central Prisons and trained to sniff out narcotic substances, he added.

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Among measures implemented to improve security in prisons is the installation of 280 artificial intelligence-powered cameras, jammers and baggage scanners. Personnel from the Karnataka Industrial Security Force were also deployed at prisons, according to Parameshwara.

In response to a question from MLC K S Naveen, Parameshwara said the surge in cybercrime cases was a major concern for law-enforcement agencies in the state. “While crimes such as murder, rape and others have come down, there is a drastic increase in the number of cybercrimes,” he said, noting that around 22,000 cases were reported last year.

On the issue of fake news used to sow communal discord via social media platforms, he said the police had registered 2,019 FIRs related to online posts, with 676 of the cases taken up suo motu.

Parameshwara further said the state police have developed a fact-check application, in addition to setting up dedicated desks at every police station to monitor social media.

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