Although no Coronavirus positive case has been reported so far in jails, containing the spread of the deadly virus in 13 over-crowded prisons across Jammu and Kashmir is the biggest task before the authorities.
Taking a lesson from the first wave of the Covid-19, jail authorities have already started vaccination of all eligible jail inmates across the union territory. Vaccination has been initiated in the 'holding centre' set-up at Hirnagar in Kathua district, where 200 illegal immigrants from Myanmar have been kept for deportation.
DGP (Prisons) V K Singh said that vaccination of all eligible jail inmates was in progress across the UT, including the 'holding centre' at Hiranagar. Singh said there was no coronavirus positive case among over 4,500 inmates in any of the jails in J&K, despite the lethal second wave.
The department has already suspended the physical meetings of the inmates with their relatives for their safety. Jail inmates above 45 years will receive jabs during the ongoing vaccination drive which started on April 6. Jail inmates of Srinagar, Rajouri, and Hiranagar have received the jab so far.
As per data of the Prison Department, out of a total of 4,422 inmates in all 13 jails of J&K, 609 prisoners, including five foreigners, fall under the category of 45 years and above age group.
542 tested positive in First Wave, 2 died
During the first wave of Coronavirus, 542 jail inmates across J&K were tested positive. Except two all infected jail inmates were recovered from the deadly virus. Two elderly prisoners, one each from district jail Rajouri and Sub-jail Bhaderwah, having co-morbidities, had succumbed to COVID-19. This time authorities have taken all precautions for the safety of prisoners.
Currently, 4,422 prisoners have been lodged in 13 jails across J&K against a total capacity of 3,426. Of these 4,422, 4,354 are Indian national while as remaining 68 are foreign nationals including 24 from Pakistan, 13 from Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK), 15 from Burma, eight from Nepal, four from Bangladesh, three from China, and one from Holland. Almost all dreaded terrorists have been lodged in Kot Bhalwal central jail of Jammu
e-Mulaqat system introduced for jail inmates
Since the latest surge in Coronavirus cases in March, jail authorities have suspended the physical meetings of prisoners with their family members. Instead, an e-Mulaqat system has been introduced to enable contact of inmates with their family members, telephone facilities have been made available in all the 13 jails of the UT.
