A major controversy erupted in Karnataka after videos surfaced from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru, showing Lashkar-linked terrorist Juhad Hamid Shakeel Manna and convicted serial rapist-murderer Umesh Reddy using mobile phones and enjoying VIP-style comforts inside what is supposed to be a high-security jail. The visuals, now viral on social media, raised serious questions regarding the breakdown of law and order and internal security under the present Congress administration.
Former police officer warned of dangerous security lapses
As per the Organiser reports, retired senior police officer S.K. Umesh, who served over 35 years in the Bengaluru Police Department, expressed grave concern regarding the situation. He said that such unchecked access to mobile phones, television, and unrestricted communication posed a direct threat to national security.
“These are not small mistakes. Allowing hardened criminals and terrorists to use smartphones inside jail walls is dangerous for the country,” he told TV9 Kannada, adding that the issue reflected deep-rooted corruption and administrative negligence within the prison system.
Umesh stressed that Parappana Agrahara needs an IPS-rank officer as superintendent to enforce discipline. At present, the prison is overseen by an additional deputy commissioner-level officer. “Only strong leadership can restore control,” he said.
Terror recruiter ‘living like a king’ in jail
The scandal deepened after reports confirmed that ISIS recruiter Juhad Hamid had been operating from inside the prison with free access to a smartphone, interacting with people outside and exerting influence over other inmates.
Hamid was arrested for recruiting radicalized youth into ISIS networks across Karnataka and neighboring states, making the revelations particularly alarming. Public anger intensified as citizens questioned how a convicted extremist was permitted to operate freely from inside a high-security facility.
Opposition accuses Congress of collapsing law and order
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka sharply criticized the Siddaramaiah-led government, alleging that Parappana Agrahara had effectively been turned into a “luxury resort for terrorists and hardened criminals.”
“When terrorists and serial killers are enjoying royal treatment inside jail, what exactly is the Home Department doing? Has it collapsed completely?” Ashoka asked. He further claimed that the government had earlier withdrawn cases against rioters, and now, even terror-accused inmates were being given phones and freedom inside prison.
Supreme court warnings ignored
This incident surfaced despite the recent Supreme Court warning in the Darshan case, where the court had directed states to prevent VIP treatment for inmates. However, videos of prisoners celebrating birthdays, ordering special meals, and enjoying entertainment facilities indicate that no corrective measures were taken.
“Prison is meant for reform and punishment, not recreation,” Umesh reiterated, calling for immediate disciplinary action and structural reform, including removal of corrupt officers and enforcement of strict monitoring.
Advocate Girish Bharadwaj has formally approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah, submitting a detailed written representation seeking urgent intervention in the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison irregularities case. In his letter, Bharadwaj highlighted that ISIS-linked terror accused Hamid Shakil Manna and the convicted serial rapist-murderer Umesh Reddy were allegedly enjoying VIP privileges inside the high-security prison, including unrestricted access to smartphones, televisions, and even private cooking arrangements. Citing recent media investigations and video evidence, he stressed that these incidents indicate a complete collapse of prison discipline and expose a deep nexus between inmates and corrupt officials.
Bharadwaj warned that allowing terror suspects and hardened offenders to use smartphones from inside jail is not merely a procedural lapse but a direct threat to national security. He urged the Home Minister to initiate immediate corrective action, including a high-level inquiry, accountability of responsible officers, and the appointment of an IPS-rank officer to head the Bengaluru prison administration to restore control, discipline, and security monitoring. He stated that “accountability is non-negotiable” and insisted that the government must act swiftly to prevent further compromise of internal security systems.
There are moments in a democracy when negligence is not just incompetence; it becomes a threat to the nation. The recent revelations from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail fall squarely into that category. The fact that ISIS recruiter Juhad Hamid Shakeel Manna, a man accused of radicalizing youth to join an international terror network, was allowed to use smartphones, enjoy television access, and move freely like a VIP inside a high-security prison is not merely a lapse. It is a black mark on Karnataka’s governance.
This is not an undertrial stealing a SIM card. This is a state government, under the Congress administration, that has allowed prison walls to dissolve into comfort suites for terrorists and hardened criminals. The same prison where a serial rapist and murderer, Umesh Reddy, was also found casually operating mobile phones and negotiating privileges with ease. When the most dangerous criminals in society are treated like guests, not convicts, it signals something far more sinister than administrative carelessness.
