Of 4,500 inmates in J&K jails, 23 have tested positive

In the Hiranagar sub-jail, which is holding centre for illegal Rohingya immigrants, all 221 inmates have tested negative

JAMMU

Last year, after a high-powered panel was formed by the Supreme Court to depopulate prisons in view the pandemic, the Jammu and Kashmir prison authorities had released 20 inmates on special parole. (Representative Photo/HT)

Amid the raging coronavirus pandemic, Jammu and Kashmir has 4,572 inmates lodged in 13 jails, of which 23 have tested positive for the virus.

Outgoing DG (prisons)VK Singh said, “Among them 21 are in Kathua district jail, one in Central Jail, Kotbhalwal and one in District Jail Jammu. Necessary medical care is being provided to them.”

“At present, 635 inmates are lodged in Central Jail, Srinagar, which includes 27 female inmates. There are no Covid positive cases in the prison,” he said, directing the staff to ensure strict adherence to standard operating procedures to prevent spread of Covid.

Singh said, “At present, 219 inmates are under quarantine in prisons across J&K as new prisoners undergo mandatory Covid testing and quarantine for 14 days.”

Last year, after a high-powered panel was formed by the Supreme Court to depopulate prisons in view the pandemic, the Jammu and Kashmir prison authorities had released 20 inmates on special parole.

“The parole continues. It was extended for eight weeks and we are into seventh and eighth week,” said Singh.

DIG Prisons Sultan Lone said, “We have 22 asymptomatic and one symptomatic Covid inmates.”

Inoculation to start soon

“Initially, there was confusion over inoculating prisoners across India because Aadhaar Cards are mandatory to get the jab. However, the Centre intervened and now they can be inoculated without them. We have written to the state immunisation officer Dr Saleem-ur-Rehman. They will not be taken anywhere and will be inoculated in the prisons,” said Lone.

Rehman said though the prisons are overcrowded, all possible measures have been initiated in view of the pandemic. In the Hiranagar sub-jail, which is holding centre for illegal Rohingya immigrants, all 221 inmates have tested negative.

Release political prisoners: CPI (M)

CPI (M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Tuesday said that Kashmiri political prisoners lodged in various jails within and outside the Valley must be released as unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases across the country has put their lives in congested jails at risk.

Supreme Court recently directed the high-powered committees to consider release of new prisoners by adopting the guidelines of the National Legal Services Authority to decongest jails. Hundreds of Kashmiri prisoners, including some teenagers are languishing in jails within and outside J&K for years now.

Health conditions of some Kashmiri prisoners, lodged in Tihar and other jails outside the Valley, have deteriorated in recent times and if they are not released it could prove fatal for them due to rising virus cases. Some of them are aged and suffer from multiple ailments.

In the absence of proper medical assistance, these prisoners feel helpless and are in distress. It would be prudent to release all prisoners, at least on parole, keeping in view the alarming situation due to Covid-19.

There are also prisoners who have minor offences against them and whose detention order has been quashed multiple times by the courts.

The Government has failed to prove charges against several people arrested under the

Public Safety Act (PSA) and other such laws. They should be released.