14-day quarantine for new convicts: Prisons Dept

  • | Wednesday | 27th May, 2020

The state has 61 prisons, including the Central Jail, 21 district jails, 30 taluk jails and one open jail near Devanahalli. There were around 15,150 inmates in these jails as on Friday, though these prisons can accommodate only 14,000 inmates. At Bengaluru Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara, there are over 5,000 inmates, and in the last one month, 122 new inmates have been added. We cannot even imagine what the situation will be if the virus spreads here,” said a department official. Department authorities are now regularly sanitising jails, masks are mandatory, personnel are made to wear shields and hand sanitisers have been made available at several locations.

Ashwini M Sripad By Express News Service BENGALURU: The state Prisons Department has made it mandatory for all new inmates to remain under quarantine for 14 days within the jail premises, and they will be sent to cells only after their Covid-19 tests return negative . The state has 61 prisons, including the Central Jail, 21 district jails, 30 taluk jails and one open jail near Devanahalli. There were around 15,150 inmates in these jails as on Friday, though these prisons can accommodate only 14,000 inmates. After the coronavirus outbreak, with social distancing becoming the new norm, it was decided that at least half of these inmates must be relocated to reduce the numbers. There has also been a proposal to reduce the number of years a convict with good conduct must serve - it is currently 14 years. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai also recently said that the government is seeking a legal opinion on reducing the term of such prisoners. At a recent cabinet meeting, it was decided that guidelines be framed to release prisoners. While the department stopped the entry of visitors two months ago, its latest challenge is new inmates. At Bengaluru Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara, there are over 5,000 inmates, and in the last one month, 122 new inmates have been added. “We have kept them in the newly- constructed women’s prison now. We cannot allow newcomers to directly join the other inmates. We cannot even imagine what the situation will be if the virus spreads here,” said a department official. Department authorities are now regularly sanitising jails, masks are mandatory, personnel are made to wear shields and hand sanitisers have been made available at several locations.

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