Mangaluru Jail Tightens Security: 12-Foot Barbed Wire Fence Under Construction to Stop Contraband Smuggling

By Editor

Posted on July 14, 2026

Mangaluru Jail Tightens Security: 12-Foot Barbed Wire Fence Under Construction to Stop Contraband Smuggling

Mangaluru : To curb the rising instances of mobile phones, narcotics, and other prohibited items being thrown into the prison from outside, authorities have initiated the construction of a 12-foot-high barbed wire fence atop the compound wall of the district prison at Kodialbail. Funded with an allocation of Rs. 50 lakhs from the Prisons Department, the Public Works Department (PWD) has taken up the project. The work has commenced recently following the completion of tendering and other administrative formalities. Currently, the jail is secured by a 15-foot laterite stone wall topped with a minor two-foot wire fence. However, miscreants have frequently been caught standing on adjacent public roads and throwing stones wrapped with plastic packets containing ganja and phones over the wall.

The newly constructed wire mesh will extend the height by an additional 12 feet from the top of the existing wall, making it virtually impossible to hurl any object inside. The gap in the wire mesh is designed to be extremely small, preventing even small pebbles from getting through, according to District Prison Superintendent Sharan Basappa.

To further bolster security, the outer perimeter guarding of the prison has been handed over to the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF). Every individual entering the premises undergoes mandatory and rigorous physical checking. KSISF personnel have already caught several individuals attempting to smuggle prohibited goods and drugs into the facility and have initiated strict legal action against them.

Originally built to accommodate 210 inmates, the Mangaluru District Prison currently houses 369 prisoners as of July 11, 2026. Due to severe overcrowding, over 100 inmates have recently been shifted to other prisons, including Shivamogga. Prison officials noted that 50% to 60% of the current inmates suffer from substance abuse issues, driving them to constantly seek alternative methods to smuggle narcotics inside. This ongoing vulnerability has prompted the administration to adopt these highly advanced infrastructural and physical security measures.