Belagavi: Residents of Hindalga and surrounding villages are facing continued mobile and internet disruptions due to high-frequency 5G jammers installed at Hindalga Central Jail, with fresh concerns emerging after officials indicated that the jammer strength may be increased.
For more details : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/hindalga-residents-fear-worsening-network-outage-as-jail-plans-to-strengthen-jammers/articleshow/128518274.cms
The jammers, installed in February last year to curb illegal mobile phone usage by inmates, have affected connectivity within a 3–4 km radius. Areas such as Hindalga, Vijayanagar, Ganeshpur and Benakanahalli have reported poor signal strength, impacting daily communication, banking services, online transactions and government-related work.
During a recent visit to the jail, Prisons Department Director General Alok Kumar stated that mobile connectivity was still accessible inside the prison premises, particularly on the Airtel network, and steps were being considered to address the issue. His remarks have heightened anxiety among residents who fear that any further increase in jammer frequency will worsen the situation outside the jail.
Senior officials acknowledged that there is no immediate solution to the problem, adding that relocating the central jail is not feasible in the near future.
Local activist Ravikumar Kokitkar said residents have been raising the issue for over a year through complaints, memorandums and even a rasta roko protest, but without relief. He warned that stronger jammers could severely impact government offices, gram panchayats, banks and other essential services in the area. Villagers are planning a meeting to decide their next course of action.
The jail earlier operated 2G jammers, which caused limited interference beyond its premises. However, the system was upgraded to 5G jammers after an inmate allegedly used a mobile phone inside the jail to issue threats and demand ransom from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Read also : DGP Alok Kumar Conducts Surprise Inspection at Hindalga Jail
