Residents’ mobile networks paralysed after new jammers commissioned at Mangaluru prison

Residents near Mangaluru prison face mobile network issues due to new jammers, impacting emergency response and public safety.

With the commissioning of mobile phone jammers in Mangaluru District Prison, residents in the vicinity are reporting of problems caused due to drop of mobile phone network.

Five new 5G jammers have been installed by the Telecommunication Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a Central government agency, at the district prison. These new jammers have replaced the old in-operative mobile phone jammers. After trial runs for nearly a month, the new jammers were commissioned on Sunday, March 23.

In a post on social media, cardiologist Padmanabha Kamath said a patient from Horanadu, who had suffered a heart attack, made multiple calls to reach him while the patient was to Mangaluru for treatment on Sunday. Unable to reach him, the patient reached the hospital. His postgraduate student reached doctor’s house to inform about the arrival of the patient. Dr. Kamath rushed to hospital in time to perform a life-saving angioplasty. “Had I not been informed in time, the consequences could have been tragic,” he said.

He said many professionals and other citizens were facing problems with sudden loss of mobile network in prison’s vicinity. “While the intention behind installation of mobile jammers is understandable, it has resulted in significant collateral damage to residents in and around a one-kilometer radius of the jail,” he said. The situation poses a serious threat to public safety, more so to doctors, whose ability to respond to emergencies is being compromised, he said.

Dr. Kamath urged authorities to take immediate action to restore mobile connectivity, while ensuring that the prison security is intact.

Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Malini Krishnamurthy, told The Hindu that similar complaints have come from residents staying close to Bengaluru, Belgavi and other Central Prisons where new jammers were installed. The prison authorities have informed the issue to TCIL and Telecom Ministry.

“We are working with TCIL to recalibrate the jammers in a way there is minimal inconvenience to nearby residents. The process is on and it will take few days,” Ms. Krishnamurthy said.