A routine day at the Shivamogga Central Prison in Karnataka turned chaotic on Friday after officials uncovered two back-to-back attempts to smuggle narcotics into the high-security facility. The crackdown led to the seizure of 123 grams of marijuana and dozens of cigarettes, sparking a deeper probe into possible internal and external links.
Banana Sacks Turn Into Smuggling Decoy
Trouble began when an auto driver arrived at the prison gate, claiming he had been asked to deliver five sacks of bananas for the canteen. He dropped the sacks outside, lingered for barely a moment, and sped off.
During the mandatory security check, guards noticed that the sacks had been neatly slit open. Hidden inside were packets of marijuana and cigarettes, tightly wrapped in gum tape and tucked between the bananas. The precision of the concealment raised immediate suspicion.
Another Attempt Minutes Later
Even before officials could finish assessing the first discovery, a second surprise hit. An SDA staffer, Satwik, reporting for duty, was caught with 170 grams of marijuana concealed under his innerwear. The narcotics were wrapped in gum tape in a manner strikingly similar to the earlier stash.
He was detained on the spot and handed over to the police.
A Coordinated Operation Suspected
The identical packaging, close timing and shared location have led authorities to believe the two incidents were not random. Investigators suspect a coordinated plan, with the banana sacks acting as the external drop and the staffer possibly being the inside handler meant to move the contraband further into the prison.
Both cases were reported to the Tunganagar Police, and formal complaints have been registered under the Karnataka Prison Act and relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.
Police have now launched a broader investigation to uncover whether more prison staff or outsiders were involved — and to determine how long such a network may have been operating undetected.
Backdrop: Bengaluru Prison Under Scrutiny
The Shivamogga incident comes at a sensitive time for Karnataka’s prison administration. Just weeks ago, videos from Bengaluru Central Prison went viral, showing inmates dancing, drinking liquor, watching television and using mobile phones.
Home Minister G Parameshwara later confirmed that three of the five videos were from 2023 and two were recent. Following the outrage, he announced sweeping reforms and disciplinary actions to tighten security and restore public confidence in the state’s prison system.
