More than 250 prisoners from J&K lodged in UP and Haryana jails

More than 250 prisoners form Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are currently lodged in different jails of other states. Around 234 prisoners from J&K have been lodged in Jails in Uttar Pradesh with 27 other inmates in prisons in Haryana. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy was informing the Rajya Sabha in response to a written question asked by member M P Veerendra Kumar.

Prisoners include people detained after abrogation of Article 370

The house was also informed that around 3,248 prisoners are lodged in the jails of Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, the total number of prisoners belonging to Jammu and Kashmir including the numbers who are lodged in the home state is 3,509.

In comparison to the current year, as many 2,728 people were in the jails of Jammu and Kashmir and 41 other prisoners were lodged in jails of Haryana. The number of people arrested and have been detained in jail has increased over the years, as per the information shared by the minister. The number has steadily increased from 2006 in 2014 to 3248 in 2019.

The prisoners include the people detained after the Modi led government in an abrupt decision abrogated article 370 of the constitution which provided the special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir along with bifurcation of the state into Union territories. Further, the under trail detainees and convicts have also been lodged in the jails across Jammu and Kashmir.

Charges include murder & other crimes

Reddy further added that the charges against these prisoners included were related to murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rape, theft, burglary, dowry death, kidnapping and abduction, cheating, those registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), besides preventive detention.

Reddy further went on to add that with the objective of preventing commission of offenses involving breach of peace, activities prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order, 5,161 people, including stone-pelters, overground workers, separatists, etc. were taken into preventive custody by the government of Jammu and Kashmir since August 4.

He said, "Of them, 609 are under preventive detention. Since, these people have been detained under statutory provisions by the magistrates concerned, based on their satisfaction in each case, it is not possible for the government to give any timeline for their release."