Delhi Prisons department releases 3,800 inmates to decongest jails

Officials said on Monday that all three jails- Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli jail have zero cases of coronavirus among staff members and inmates this month. Though the prisons are Covid-free, the number of inmate admissions increased during the lockdown this year.

In order to decongest jails during the pandemic, the Delhi Prisons department has released more than 3,800 inmates on emergency parole and interim bail to prevent Covid-19 cases. At present, there are at least 16,000 inmates in Delhi jails.

Officials said on Monday that all three jails- Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli jail have zero cases of coronavirus among staff members and inmates this month. Though the prisons are Covid-free, the number of inmate admissions increased during the lockdown this year.

A senior officer said, “ We had around 20,000 inmates in three jails this month. This was after many under-trial prisoners were asked to surrender again in February-March and new inmates were being lodged in jails. We had to appeal to the government and court to decongest jails again for the safety of staff and other inmates.”

Last year during the first lockdown, nearly 6,000 inmates (undertrials and convicts) were released on emergency parole and interim bail to prevent the spread of the virus. This left the total population to 13,000-14,000 prisoners. However, after Covid cases dipped in December last year, the Delhi High Court ordered that under trial prisoners should surrender starting from February. With the 6,000 released inmates back in jail, cases of Covid increased in Tihar and Mandoli Jail.

Officials said more than 400 inmates and 215 staff members were infected with Covid this year. Though special barracks were made for Covid patients and as isolation cells, the cases increased during the second wave. Eight of the inmates also succumbed to Covid-related complications.

Sandeep Goel, Director General (Delhi Prisons) said, “ We are taking all precautions to avoid Covid cases and are also screening officers and new inmates regularly. New inmates also go to isolation wards to prevent cases. We have released 3,000 undertrial prisoners and 800 convicts on emergency parole to further prevent cases.”

After the inmates were released, the jails have no active Covid cases and have also initiated a vaccination drive for the inmates and officers.

In Tihar Jail, over 1,212 inmates aged above 45 have received both doses of the Covid vaccine and 3,150 inmates aged below 45 received the first dose of the vaccine starting from Many. Similarly in Rohini and Mandoli Jail, more than 600 inmates have received both doses of the Covid vaccine and 2,100 inmates aged below 45 have received the first dose.

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