Punjab to Release Up to 4,000 More Prisoners to Decongest Jails in View of COVID-19 Pandemic, Says Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa

Chandigarh, August 11: Punjab will release 3,500 to 4,000 more prisoners to ensure better compliance with COVID-19 guidelines in jails, a minister said on Tuesday. The state has already released a total of 9,500 prisoners to decongest jails in view of the pandemic. Also Read | Google Pixel 5 With Snapdragon 765G Spotted on AI Benchmark, Likely to Be Launched Soon.

Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, "In view of a spike in COVID-19 cases and to ensure compliance with health protocols in jails, it has been decided to bring the number of prisoners to the 50 per cent of the authorised capacity."

The minister in a statement here said that at present, 17,500 inmates are lodged in jails across the state and they accounted for 73 per cent of the total capacity. Also Read | Income Tax Unearths Nexus of Chinese Companies Using Hawala Network in India: Live Breaking News Headlines & Coronavirus Updates on August 11, 2020.

A meeting of the high-powered committee on the issue of decongesting jails was held on July 31 and it was decided to bring down the number of prisoners in jails to 50 per cent of the authorised capacity in order to ensure social distancing.

So far, 449 prisoners and 77 prison officials have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the state. Most of these cases had been detected during the last few weeks. Among the inmates who will be released are under-trials and those booked for minor offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The interim-bail of all the prisoners presently out of jail may be extended further till the notification of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 is in force, said the release.

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