4 special jails set up in Punjab to quarantine new inmates

Accused arrested by police in various cases would be sent to special jails for screening and would then be placed under quarantine for 15 days in special jails

With several accused testing positive post arrest, the prisons department has established four special jails in the state to quarantine those brought in fresh cases. The step has been taken to avoid spread of infection from new inmates to those already lodged in the jail.

The special jails have been established in Bathinda, Patti, Ludhiana and Barnala. (ht file photo (for representational purpose))

The special jails have been established in Bathinda, Patti, Ludhiana and Barnala. In Ludhiana, the special jail has been established in Borstal Jail. The old inmates of borstal jail have been shifted to Faridkot Jail.

Kulwant Singh, superintendent of Special Jail, Ludhiana, said that the special jails Ludhiana is accommodating accused from 11 districts. A total of 274 accused have been already quarantined in these special jails.

Kulwant Singh added that accused arrested by the police in various cases would be sent to special jails for screening. The accused would then be placed under quarantine for 15 days in special jails. After 15 days of quarantine, the inmates will be shifted to jails of their respective districts, if not tested positive for Covid-19.

Earlier on May 2, as many as 200 inmates from Ludhiana women’s jail were shifted to Pathankot after a woman facing trial in drug peddling case tested positive for the virus. Besides, 17 cops had to be placed under quarantine in Ludhiana after a vehicle-theft accused tested positive. Later, an accused in suicide abetment case also tested positive, prompting the quarantine of five cops.