With Diwali approaching, sources in the Madhya Pradesh Jail Headquarters said all jails have been asked to remain on high alert, with staff leave cancelled and surprise inspections ordered. According to officials, one senior officer will remain inside every jail campus nightly to monitor security. Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents have been asked to conduct frequent checks of barracks, high-security wards, watchtowers, and perimeter walls. Officials said the alert will remain in force from a day before the festival period and will continue even after the festivities end. Superintendents will be held responsible for any incident in their jails, and officials have been warned against any laxity. The heightened vigil is rooted in a chilling precedent. In the intervening night of 30-31 October 2016, eight operatives of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India

 

(SIMI) escaped from Bhopal Central Jail on Diwali night after killing Head Constable Ramashankar Yadav and scaling the wall with knotted bedsheets. All eight were killed hours later in an encounter on Bhopal’s outskirts. According to earlier figures, Bhopal Central Jail’s high-security wing housed 69 terror-accused prisoners, including 23 SIMI members, in the high-security Anda Cell. Officials say the concentration of high-risk inmates makes vigilance essential during festivals. For 2026, Dhanteras falls on 6 November, main Diwali on Sunday, 8 November, Govardhan Puja on 9 November, and Bhai Dooj on 10 November. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on November 4 reviewed Diwali preparations with collectors and superintendents of police, directing foolproof arrangements for peaceful celebrations across the state. For the jail administration, the message this Diwali is clear: celebrate, but stay watchful.