Covid enters Delhi jails: Authorities in ‘wait and watch’ mode

At least 2,300 prisoners, including convicts and undertrials who were released to decongest the jail in April 2020, have failed to surrender and have been declared fugitives.

As the number of Covid-19 cases is rapidly increasing in the capital and the infection has entered Delhi jails after a gap of almost five months, the government and prison officers are on a “wait and watch” mode before requesting an emergency meeting to chalk out urgent measures to decongest jails.

On Sunday night (January 2), Delhi prisons reported the first case of Covid-19 after almost five months.

At least 2,300 prisoners, including convicts and undertrials who were released to decongest the jail in April 2020, have failed to surrender and have been declared fugitives. Separately, 5,463 prisoners were released in April- May this year while Delhi was under the grip of the fourth wave of the pandemic. These 5,463 have not been asked to surrender because of a Supreme Court order. To be sure, these 5,463 prisoners are not fugitives.

“We are monitoring the situation closely. About 8,000 prisoners are already out, some legally, while others are fugitives. We may have to request a meeting soon as the cases are rising. This will mean that more prisoners will be released, but there is little that anyone can do. The threat of the virus spreading exponentially in an enclosed space within the prison is bigger,” said a jail officer, who asked not to be named.

On Sunday night (January 2), Delhi prisons reported the first case of Covid-19 after almost five months. The prisons department, on Monday, confirmed that two prisoners and six jail officers in Tihar tested positive for the virus. Rohini and Mandoli jail had not reported a single case until then.

On Wednesday, the number of infections increased to 20 --- 11 jail inmates (eight in Tihar and three in Mandoli) and nine jail staffers. A prison officer said that four inmates have also been admitted to the Lok Nayak Hospital.

“We are taking all necessary precautions. All new prisoners are quarantined in a separate space before mixing them with the prisoners lodged inside. But social distancing is a problem in the jails,” said a jail officer, requesting anonymity.

Ensuring social distancing, which is key to arresting the spread of Covid-19, is a major problem in Delhi jails because the jails hold nearly twice the number of prisoners against their sanctioned capacity. There are nearly 18,000 prisoners against a sanctioned capacity of 10,024 in the three prisons.

Since the pandemic broke out in March 2020, the three jails have collectively reported over 600 infections among prisoners and jail staff. Six prisoners have also died of the infection so far. One of the prisoners who died of Covid-19 was former gangster-turned-politician Mohammed Shahabuddin from Bihar.

A high-powered committee comprising representatives from the judiciary, government, prison, and the police has in the past released prisoners to ensure social distancing. The committee has laid down 11 categories of undertrial prisoners such as those arrested for non-heinous crimes, civil imprisonment, senior citizens who are facing trial for offences with a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail, those who are suffering other serious illnesses and are facing trial for offences with punishment ranging below seven years, among other similar criteria.