Jail inmates likely to be release on parole courtesy COVID-19

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 30, 2020

The state government is examining the possibility of releasing prisoners on parole to decongest the jails in the state due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“It (proposal) is being examined by the government seriously,” deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong informed on Monday while responding to a query on whether the government is considering to release some of the prisoners to avoid crowding in the jails.

Stating that certain procedures have to be followed if the government is to take a call on the matter, the deputy CM said, “So right now the concerned department is still working out in close coordination with the law department on how to go about it and ultimately action will be taken accordingly.”

According to him, there is need to segregate between the under trial prisoners (UTPs) and the convicts.

Tynsong also admitted to the fact that the Shillong district jail is facing a problem of congestion at present.

Meghalaya has five district jails – Shillong, Williamnagar, Jowai, Tura and Nongpoh.

According to CAG report, Shillong district jail is housing over 347 male inmates in 2018 against its capacity intake of 155 while Jowai had 175 against 120.

The CAG had also pointed out that the delay in construction of new jails has forced the inmates of the existing jails to live in inhuman conditions without safe drinking water and adequate number of toilets adding several inmates were forced to sleep underneath the already occupied sleeping berths.