‘Serious malaise’: HC flags 83% spike in inmates hooked on drugs in Punjab jails

The report was submitted earlier this month that showed a total of 35,449 inmates are lodged in these prisons, of whom 15,678 are registered with OOAT clinics as on August 21

Flagging a “serious malaise” within Punjab’s correctional facilities, the high court on Tuesday expressed concern over a state prisons department report revealing an 83% surge in inmates who developed drug dependencies after being incarcerated.

The division bench of chief justice A K Mishra observed that the number had grown “almost four-five times” compared with those already registered for treatment when they entered prison. (HT File)

The division bench of chief justice A K Mishra observed that the number had grown “almost four-five times” compared with those already registered for treatment when they entered prison.

The report was submitted earlier this month that showed a total of 35,449 inmates are lodged in these prisons, of whom 15,678 are registered with OOAT clinics as on August 21. This accounted for 83% prisoners getting into it after lodging into jails, amicus curaie in the case had flagged.

“We may indicate that this is a serious issue, and we expect the authorities to remain alive to their obligations to help such inmates in securing their right to life under the Constitution of India, the court said on Tuesday.

The amicus curaie had said that 2,540 inmates were already registered under the outpatient opioid assisted treatment clinic (OOAT clinic) and were being administered tablets/medicines at the time of their admission, while the present number of drug-dependent inmates was 15,768.

“Prima facie, this indicates a serious malaise. It shows that not only are those entering jail, drug dependent, but there is a growth of almost 4-5 times in the number of jail inmates who become drug dependent after their entry into jail,” the court observed.

The court pointed out that there is no indication as to how the lives of these persons are to be protected, inasmuch as continued drug dependence would lead them to further crises in their lives and, in the absence of any strategy followed by the concerned authorities to bring such persons out of drug dependence, the inmates will never be able to avail of the right to life, which is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

As directed last week, Haryana came up with an affidavit stating that 1,295 of the state’s 27,111 jail inmates were undergoing treatment for drug dependence, down from 1,829 after treatment was made available — a reduction of 534.

The affidavit about prevalence of drugs in jail inmates was sought from Haryana last week. The court has sought an affidavit from Centre and PGIMER, roped in an expert body, by next week.

The high court had sought the data on drug- dependence from Punjab jails, after an administrative judge in June had reported that approximately 69% of the total inmate population in Mansa is undergoing treatment at the OOAT Clinic, indicating a significant prevalence of drug addiction among the inmates.