Odisha prison authorities are trying to decongest jails by releasing undertrials and convicts on parole in view of the COVID-19 threat. Around 80 jail inmates were released by Saturday. “We have finalised names of 1,727 jail inmates who will be going on parole following a judicial process. We have already relocated 856 convicts to different jails,” DGP (Prison) Santosh Upadhyay said.
“In every district there is one district under-trial review committee led by district judges. Under-trials whose maximum punishment could be 10 years and who had already spent more than five years without trial are eligible to be released on bail,” said Mr. Upadhyay.
He said authorities had finalized names of 1727 jail inmates and the district level committee would scruitinise merits of undertrials from case to case basis. The State has 90 jails with a capacity to accommodate 18,012 inmates. The authorities are trying to bring down the number of inmates by 2,000. Recently, Supreme Court had directed all states for decongesting the State jails to prevent spread of Coronavirus.
Police have been instructed not to take coercive action against those who are now being released. The new prisoners will be made to undergo 14 days of quarantine before allowing them to mingle them with old inmates.
All jails authorities have been asked to follow guidelines including washing of hand three times a day before taking food. Their health conditions are also being monitored. The prison authorities have already restricted visits to inside jail. Visitors have been asked to avail the facility of e-mulakat facility from their homes instead of coming to the jails physically.
