Telangana to close 5 sub-jails as inmate numbers fall

Five sub-jails operating much below their sanctioned capacity are to be shut down in Telangana.

Director general (Prisons and Correctional Services) VK Singh said the decision was a result of the reformation and rehabilitation measures undertaken by the Prisons department bearing fruit.

There are 35 sub-jails in Telangana, Singh said, adding that “by the end of this year, we intend to close three more subjails by reducing the number of prisoners.”

The sub-jails at Armoor and Bodhan in Nizamabad district, Narasampet and Parkal in Warangal district and Madhira in Khammam district will be closed, he said.

While the capacity in Armoor sub-jail is 10, the number of prisoners is only two. In the sub-jail at Bodhan, there are just two prisoners against an intake capacity of 17.

Similar is the case at Narasampet where the number of prisoners confined is seven while the authorised capacity is 30 and at Parkal where there are two prisoners against a capacity of 30.

In Madhira, the authorised capacity is 20 and the number of prisoners confined is 10.

“We have taken up the task of reformation of the prisoners in jails. The prisoners are fully motivated to act as partners in the elimination of crime from society,” Singh said.

“We are striving to reduce crime. The result has been visible over the last three years. We are closing down five sub-jails due to insufficient prisoners,” Singh said.

According to the DG, the number of prisoners has also come down as compared to previous years with the total number of prisoners confined as on January 27 this year standing at 5,348 (male 4953 and female at 395) as against 6,012 (male 5567 and female 445) as on December 31, 2014.

The sanctioned accommodation in all the jails in the state is 6,848 persons, he said.

“Now we intend to reduce crime by 10% every year and the target is to make it 50% less over the next five years with the help of reformed prisoners, social activists and people. We also want to start a statewide awareness campaign for mutual resolution of disputes,” Singh said.

The prison department has plans to give employment to all its formers prisoners, single women and orphans to reduce crime, he added.

HYDERABAD: