KANNUR: In the lightning raid conducted by DGP Rishiraj Singh and team in Kannur jail on Saturday, weapons, mobile phones and narcotic items were seized. The raid that started early morning 4 continued till 7 am.

Apart from three knives, three mobile phones, SIM cards, beedi and narcotic items were recovered from the jail. Long before, there were allegations that many undesirable things were happening in Kannur jail. It was under these circumstances that DGP conducted secret raids.

The seized SIM cards have been handed over to the police to find out the calls made using them. The raid was conducted in all blocks except the tenth block where mentally ill prisoners are lodged. No jail officials were allowed to be part of the raid and instead, district police officers were asked to accompany the team.

After giving jail officials a dressing-down, Rishiraj Singh sealed the seized items and displayed them before the media. Not only that, he summoned the jail superintend and asked for his explanation for the blatant breach of the jail rules.

There were reports that liquor, food and narcotic drugs from outside were being smuggled into the jail with the help of jail officials. There were also reports of certain criminals carrying quotation activities from the jail using their mobile phones.

Incidentally, Kannur jail deputy Supt M P Vinod and two other officers were suspended recently for allowing Kanichukulangara murder case convict to install TV in the jail, at his own expense.