Viral video shows Bengaluru central prison inmates using phones and TV

A fresh wave of concern is washing over Bengaluru as videos purportedly captured inside the city’s central prison show inmates, including a notorious serial rapist, freely using mobile phones and watching television from their cells. The footage, said to have been recorded at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru between 2023 and 2025, has sparked questions about how such devices reached the prison and who leaked the material to the media. Police say a case will be registered at Parappana Agrahara Police Station to identify the sources of any smuggled phones, the suppliers, the timing of the footage, and the manner in which it was released publicly. An official inquiry has been ordered to verify the clips and determine the facts behind the security lapse. Among the individuals seen in the videos is Umesh Reddy, once labeled India’s most infamous serial rapist, who is said to have access to mobile phones and a television inside the prison. Reddy, who terrorized many women between 1996 and 2002, faced a 30-year life term after a mercy petition saw his death sentence commuted in 2022. The footage reportedly shows him using two Android smartphones and a keypad phone, highlighting a startling gap between policy and practice inside the facility. Another segment features Tarun Raju, accused in a gold smuggling case, reportedly using a mobile phone and even cooking inside the cell, while a third clip purportedly shows Juhad Hameed Shakeel, described as an ISIS operative lodged in the jail, illustrating the broad spectrum of inmates involved in the viral posts. The authenticity and context of the clips are being assessed, but the very presence of such devices in a high-security setting has prompted immediate action. The development has drawn political attention as well, with officials ordering a probe and stressing the need for accountability. The case underscores deep concerns about prison security, oversight, and the potential risk posed when contraband makes its way into detention facilities. Authorities say rigorous checks, tighter controls, and rapid corrective steps are being pursued to prevent a repeat of such breaches and to restore public confidence in the system.

Cover image source: Video shows serial rapist Umesh Reddy and gold smuggling accused using phones, TV inside central prison in Bengaluru 🔗

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