Bengaluru Jail Inmates Launch Bizarre Hunger Strike After Crackdown On Phones, Cigarettes

In Bengaluru, Parappana Agrahara jail inmates staged a three-day hunger strike after authorities cracked down on rampant contraband and tightened security.

Authorities suspended staff, seized contraband, and implemented stricter security measures, including "airport-level" frisking.

Source : Freepik

In a display of defiance, inmates at Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail launched a three-day hunger strike after authorities initiated a sweeping crackdown on illegal activities inside the prison. The protest came shortly after shocking videos surfaced online, showing prisoners openly partying, using mobile phones and consuming alcohol within the high-security facility.

The viral clips triggered statewide outrage, prompting the Karnataka government to demand immediate corrective action and enforce long-ignored regulations.

Staff Suspended, Phones Seized As Crackdown Intensifies

Following the outcry, prison authorities moved swiftly, suspending or transferring staff believed to be negligent or complicit, as per a report on India Today. A new monitoring system was rolled out and a special search team began conducting surprise checks across multiple barracks.

The intensified searches yielded dozens of mobile phones, cigarettes and banned items, exposing the depth of corruption and the ease with which contraband had been smuggled inside. The sudden shutdown of illegal supplies—especially bidis and cigarettes—angered many inmates who had grown dependent on the illicit network.

Sit-In Turns Into Hunger Strike

Frustration over the crackdown soon escalated into a sit-in outside the administrative block. Inmates demanded that bidi and cigarette inflow be restored, despite these items being strictly prohibited under the jail manual, reported News 18.

Refusing food for three days, they called off the agitation only on Tuesday evening, when officials warned of serious disciplinary action and held police forces on standby to prevent any escalation.

“Airport-Level” Security Comes Into Force

Chief Superintendent Kumar confirmed that the protest had ended and emphasised the prison’s shift to a tougher, zero-tolerance approach. He said that they recently seized around 50 phones and completely halted the inflow of prohibited items. With enhanced frisking and continuous monitoring, inmates realised further disruption would lead to strict action. Police were on standby, and the main instigators have been identified and warned, he said.

He noted that frisking procedures have now been tightened to “airport-level standards,” supported by round-the-clock surveillance and unannounced inspections.