DG (Prisons) has told a High Powered Committee (HPC) that all 15 inmates of Rohini jail, who contracted COVID-19 virus, have been “separately quarantined and are being provided with requisite medication”.
A jail staff who was found positive has been home quarantined, the DG (Prisons) informed the HPC formed pursuant to an order of the Supreme Court to look into ways to decongest jails here in view of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The DG (Prisons) said that all the 15 inmates had shared a barrack with an inmate, who had undergone a surgery in DDU Hospital last week and later tested positive for the virus. He said that all 15 inmates as well as the jail staff were asymptomatic.
The officer further said that a Special Task Force (STF) has been formed for “contact tracing” of the suspected COVID-19 cases in all the jails, including the one in Rohini.
Isolation wards
The HPC, headed by Justice Hima Kohli, was of the view that virus is transmitted through new entrants or staff and others entering the jail premises for delivery of ration and essentials. The committee said it was necessary that new entrants should be kept in isolation wards/cells so as to prevent their intermingling with other inmates who are already inside the jail.
DG (Prisons) said that Jail No. 15, Mandoli, which has an overall capacity of 280 prisoners, has 248 individual cells (with attached toilets). He further informed that most of these prisoners can be shifted to other jails so that the individual cells can be made available for keeping the new entrants in isolation.
Justice Kohli also appreciated the effort made by the jail authorities in releasing 3,678 inmates, till May 18, who were either undertrial prisoners, convicts released on interim bail, parole or remission of sentence.
Relaxation
DG (Prisons) requested the HPC that criteria adopted earlier to release inmates needs to be relaxed so as to further decongest the jails as the current occupancy of the jail exceeds the optimum capacity. Following which the HPC extended the relaxed interim bail norms to undertrial prisoners (UTPs) facing trial for case under Section 302 IPC (murder) and are in jail for more than two years with no involvement in any other case. Similar relaxation was made for UTPs facing trial for offence under Section 304 IPC (causes death by doing any rash or negligent act) and are in jail for more than one year.
