A senior jail official said, ‘’A small store at Vellore Central Jail premises from where the visitors can buy snacks and fruits for the prisoners will be opened on Wednesday”.

Prison officials have entrusted the task of setting up the store to a cooperative society in Vellore. “It will be a cooperative store from where the visitors can buy goods to give to the prisoners,” the official said.

There have been several incidents of drugs and other banned items including sharp tools getting sneaked into the various prisons hidden in fruits such as papaya, biscuits, pickles and even shoes. This has become a major headache for the prison administration.

The official added that, ‘’we are hopeful that system will help us to block the inflow of ganja or sharp tools.” However the new system is not expected to seal the inflow of contraband completely.