Good conduct: Jails to relax rules for special cells inmates

CHANDIGARH : To give the dreaded criminals, mainly gangsters, lodged in high-security cells of Punjab jails a chance to reform so that they could join the mainstream after their release, the state prisons department has decided to relax restrictions imposed on them if they show good conduct.

They will be lodged in more spacious enclosures where they will get an opportunity to learn some skills and have relaxed time schedules to meet their family members.

The decision to keep such criminals in newly created special cells was taken in January 2017 in the wake of the Nabha jailbreak to keep them aloof from the rest of the prisoners as many of them were learnt to be carrying out illegal activities from inside prisons by using mobile phones freely.

Nearly 200 criminals were shifted in these special cells where they do not get any chance to communicate with other prisoners and are constantly monitored by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Even their court appearances are done through video-conferencing.

“The idea is to provide these criminals the last opportunity to join the mainstream. We provide books to these inmates besides making them attend yoga classes in their cells. If some of them show good conduct, the department is going to relax rules for them,” additional director general of police (ADGP jails) Rohit Chaudhary told HT.

“We have identified some 60-70 prisoners who have shown good behaviour in the special cells and are ready to mend their ways. They will be lodged in more spacious enclosures where they will get an opportunity to pick up some skills,” the ADGP said.

“But if they again indulge in activities such as using of mobile phones, we will put them back in special cells with no such relaxation in the future,” Chaudhary said.

The proposal was discussed in a meeting of superintendents of jails in Chandigarh on December 24 in which the security and related issues were discussed.

WILL BE LODGED IN MORE SPACIOUS ENCLOSURES WHERE THEY WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SKILLS AND HAVE RELAXED TIME SCHEDULES TO MEET THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS