AI cameras being installed to overhaul
Prison authorities have begun using artificial intelligence (AI) technology against the backdrop of the public killing of top criminal Yasin Khan—alias ‘Kailla Palash’—in the capital’s Rampura area and the orchestration of criminal activities from within the prison.
Top gangster Kailla Palash had recently been released after serving a 25-year prison sentence. However, according to intelligence reports, two other top gangsters had orchestrated this ‘killing mission’ while still behind bars, driven by a struggle for territorial dominance.
Ultimately, he was shot in broad daylight in Rampura and later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Criminal activities are frequently being orchestrated from the darkness of prisons. Some inmates continue to run extortion rackets, engage in land-grabbing, and control local businesses using mobile phones right from within the jail. It does not end there; prisoners even manage to bribe police officers to make unauthorized stops at various locations while being transported from custody to court.
Furthermore, the rampant availability of drugs inside prisons is a long-standing issue. Prison authorities are now turning to artificial intelligence to curb these activities.
In the first phase, CCTV cameras equipped with AI technology have been installed at Keraniganj and Narayanganj jails, while work is currently underway at Kashimpur Central Jail.
Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Motahar Hossain told reporters, “Previously, we would investigate incidents after they occurred to determine what happened and who was responsible; now, however, we receive warnings beforehand, allowing us to examine the situation and prevent the incidents from taking place.”
He further added that AI cameras will now detect the movement of drugs, weapons, or contraband items within the prison and immediately alert the authorities. An alarm will sound if any prisoner attempts to escape. The artificial intelligence system will also detect plans for criminal activity by identifying specific keywords and issue a warning. Additionally, jammers have been installed to prevent the use of mobile phones inside the prison.
This AI system will monitor not only the inmates or prisoners but also the security personnel on duty. If a security guard on duty is negligent—sitting idly or sleeping—that information will be transmitted directly to headquarters.
