The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is set to deploy the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at five more prisons in Jammu and Kashmir, including a high-security prison in Kathua, which is yet to be operationalised.

Plans “are under consideration” to extend the CISF’s security cover to the high security prison at Mahanpur (Kathua) — which will house inmates involved in serious offences, including terrorism — and the district jails of Jammu, Anantnag, Kupwara, and Baramulla, a spokesperson said on Sunday (June 21, 2026). The CISF was earlier put in charge of providing armed security to the Central jails in Srinagar and Jammu (Kot Bhalwal) in October 2023.

The CISF is responsible for securing both the inner and outer perimeters of these sensitive facilities through a combination of trained manpower, modern surveillance systems, and strict access control measures, the CISF spokesperson said.

Tech upgrades

In order to check crimes in the two Central prisons, including smuggling of narcotics, the CISF has deployed non-linear junction detectors, capable of detecting concealed electronic circuits, dual-view x-ray baggage inspection systems, and hand-held metal detectors at all access points. It has also put in place mobile bulletproof vehicles and round-the-clock quick reaction team patrols to secure the perimeters of these jails, the spokesperson said.

In order to boost security at the two jails, the CISF is implementing an integration of AI-enabled CCTV systems and advanced video analytics for real-time monitoring and anomaly detection, unified command-and-control systems, and specialised training in behavioural analysis, inmate profiling, and anti-sabotage measures.

Standardised security architecture

“Encouraged by the effectiveness of the current deployment, plans are under consideration for extending CISF security cover to additional correctional facilities across Jammu & Kashmir, including High Security Prison Mahanpur (Kathua), District Jail Jammu, District Jail Anantnag, District Jail Kupwara, and District Jail Baramulla. The expansion is aimed at creating a standardised and professional security architecture across the prison network of the Union Territory,” the CISF said, adding that the deployment assumes significance in view of the complex security challenges associated with high-security prisons.

To review the security arrangements, CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan visited Central Jail Srinagar on June 8, when he held detailed discussions with prison authorities, reviewed operational preparedness, and assessed the effectiveness of the existing security architecture.