Taloja jail to hold medical camps for its prisoners

NAVI MUMBAI: In an effort to understand the physical condition of their inmates, the Taloja jail authorities have decided to conduct free medical camps regularly.

The jail authorities are coordinating with a private hospital in Vashi and the first camp is likely to be conducted next week.

As of now, there are around 1,800 inmates in the jail. Many of them are suffering from diseases such as high blood pressure, jaundice, diabetes, poor eye sights among others.

A week ago, 54-year-old undertrial prisoner, Suraj Batra, died in the jail hospital. Batra, a real estate agent from Kharghar, had been arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of the Meenakshi Jaiswal, former chairperson of Maharashtra State Child Right Commission, in 2014.

Batra had been suffering from diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure among others for the past three months and had been undergoing treatment at NMMC hospital in Vashi and JJ hospital in Mumbai.

“We will try to find out the major and minor health issues of the inmates through this camp,” said a jail official.

“It may, however, not be possible to carry equipment to the jail from the hospital. Therefore those who are suspected to have major issues will be sent to hospital later,” he added.

The jail authorities, however, said that they are not organising this camp just because an inmate died in the jail last week.

“Suraj Batra had serious health issues and he was undergoing treatment for that. He did not die because of negligence,” another official said.

The Taloja jail can accommodate a total of 2,124 inmates. Of the 1,800 inmates, around 60% of them are from the places such as Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli among others.

Several members of t he underworld gangs such as Chhota Rajan, Ravi Pujari and Bharat Nepali have been kept in the jail.

THE TALOJA JAIL CAN ACCOMMODATE 2,124 INMATES. OF THE 1,800 INMATES LODGED, AROUND 60% ARE FROM MUMBAI, THANE, KALYAN, DOMBIVLI.