Andhra's convicts to feel the impact of bifurcation

Post bifurcation, plans are now on to shift convicts from different jails of Andhra Pradesh to prisons of their area.

The A.P. Prisons Department issued a circular a few days ago to gather details of the hometowns and villages of convicts across the State to confirm the areas they hail from. Based on the data, the prisoners will be sent to Telangana or the residuary Andhra Pradesh State.

“This is imperative as orders related to mercy petitions and remissions would come in the name of the State concerned,” said IGP Prisons and Correctional Services, B. Sunil Kumar. For example, if Telangana State government releases an order, it will be applicable to all prisoners of the State irrespective of the areas they belong to.

There are nearly 4,900 convicts in different jails of A.P. Five convicts from Prakasam district were lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison here. The convicts petitioned to the authorities to shift them to Cherlapally as their families migrated to Hyderabad.

Similarly, two convicts from Warangal are in Anantapur prison. They were shifted from Warangal to Anantapur as their families started working in brick kilns in villagers bordering Anantapur. “There could be nearly 50 convicts under this category,” the IGP said.

He made it clear that the relocation of prisoners was with regard to convicts, and not to undertrial prisoners. The decision about shifting undertrial prisoners will be taken by the courts concerned, the officials said.