Bengaluru: A shocking revelation from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail has sparked a major political storm in Karnataka after videos surfaced showing a Lashkar terrorist and notorious rapist-murderer Umesh Reddy using mobile phones and enjoying VIP privileges inside the high-security prison. The incident has raised serious concerns about the collapse of the state’s home administration under the Congress government.
Retired senior police officer SK Umesh, who served for over 35 years in the Bengaluru Police Department, has expressed deep concern that such lapses are a grave threat to national security. Reacting to the viral videos showing Umesh Reddy using a mobile phone and watching television inside his cell — and another clip of a Lashkar terrorist scrolling through a smartphone — Umesh warned that this points to systemic corruption and negligence within the jail system.
“These irregularities are not new, but what is worrying is that no corrective action is being taken. Allowing access to mobile phones and VIP luxuries inside prison walls is dangerous for the country’s security,” he told TV9 Kannada. Umesh further added that jails must serve the purpose of correction and discipline, not luxury and comfort.
He has suggested the appointment of an IPS officer as the superintendent of Parappana Agrahara Jail, emphasising that only strong leadership can ensure discipline and accountability. “At present, the Additional Deputy Commissioner is handling the prison administration, but an IPS-level officer can bring efficiency and control,” he remarked.
Despite the Supreme Court’s recent warning in the Darshan case over VIP treatment of prisoners, such incidents continue unabated in Karnataka’s jails. Umesh condemned instances where inmates are allowed to celebrate birthdays with cakes and special meals, calling it a violation of jail rules. “Prison is a place for reform, not recreation,” he said, demanding strict action to restore order.
Royal hospitality for terrorist inside prison
In a shocking revelation, ISIS recruiter Juhad Hamid Shakeel Manna, one of the most wanted terrorists, has also been reportedly enjoying royal treatment inside Parappana Agrahara. Sources reveal he has been using a smartphone inside the jail without restriction, communicating with outsiders and behaving “like a king.”
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Manna was arrested for recruiting youth to join ISIS from Karnataka and neighboring states. The exposure of his VIP treatment has triggered public anger, with many questioning whether Parappana Agrahara Jail has turned into a safe haven for terrorists and hardened criminals.
Videos showing both Umesh Reddy and the Lashkar terrorist using phones have gone viral, prompting citizens to demand accountability from the Siddaramaiah-led government.
Opposition lashes out at Congress
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on the state government, accusing it of turning Parappana Agrahara into a “paradise for terrorists.” Speaking to the media, Ashoka said, “When notorious criminals and terrorists are enjoying VIP treatment inside jail, what is the Home Department doing? Has it gone dead?”
He alleged that under the Congress government, even those arrested in terrorism-related cases are being given access to phones. “This government is withdrawing cases against rioters and giving mobile phones to terrorists. The law and order situation has collapsed,” he charged.
