New Delhi, January 4: Inside Tihar Jail, India's most populated and largest complex of prisons in South Asia, Officers are bracing up for working hard as the winter tightens up its grip. Tihar jail where no one who doesn't have any criminal records ever wants to enter but during winter there are many who wish to spend their nights in the prison complex. The climate in Delhi which went down to 2.6 degrees Celsius is forcing many homeless people to commit petty crimes which eventually lands them to Tihar prison, reported Hindustan Times.

At last on Monday, December 30, Tihar housed around 16,000 prisoners which is much higher than its capacity of 10,027. The recent increase in number can be attributed to those charged with minor offences such as stealing or caught carrying knives. Uttar Pradesh: Jail Inmates Have Liquor Inside Barrack; 6 Officials Suspended.

“We have learnt from our interaction with some prisoners that they courted arrested to spend the winter months here,” a jail officer, who did not wish to be named told Hindustan Times. Delhi Cabinet Approves Rs 120 Crore Proposal for CCTVs in Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini Jails to Check Allegations of VIP Treatment.

The plan for getting behind the bars works for homeless because the jail offers a roof above the head, free and hot food, blankets, and milk. The prison also has a hospital where the medical treatment is done for free and those who wanted to work can get a job in any one of the prison's 36 factory units.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2019 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).