By Tim Binnall
An inmate at a prison in India needed medical attention after he swallowed a cell phone in an attempt to hide the contraband device. The ill-advised act of concealment reportedly occurred at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi earlier this month as guards were checking cells during their rounds. When they approached the man's cell, he panicked at the thought of being caught with the prohibited connection to the outside world and quickly scarfed down the mobile phone.
However, it would appear that the proverbial sleight of mouth was not quite stealthy enough as the guards noticed his actions and suspected something was amiss. Upon bringing the inmate to a nearby hospital for x-rays, their concerns were confirmed when they saw that he had a cell phone in his stomach. The device was subsequently removed via endoscopy and the prisoner was returned to his quarters.
Amazingly, the incident was just the latest in what has been a recurring problem at the prison as the doctor who treated the inmate said that it was the tenth such case of an inmate eating the prohibited devices in the last two years. The issue has become so prevalent that officials plan to install special towers around the perimeter of the facility in order to prevent cell phone signals from reaching the outside world.