Kolkata, State Bureau. More than 3,000 undertrials and sentenced prisoners are being freed from the prisons of the state by the West Bengal government to prevent the spread of Corona virus infection. This information was given by Ujjwal Biswas, Minister of the State Jail Department on Tuesday.
He said that after the outbreak of Corona virus in the state, the prisoners in various jails are being freed as per the directions of the Supreme Court. On Monday, work has been started to free 3,076 prisoners from 60 prisons. The Jail Minister said that keeping in mind the ongoing lockdown in the country, the jail administration is following the norms of social distancing and those people are being sent to their respective homes.
These prisoners will be delivered home in four-five days
The prisoners to be freed include 2,059 undertrials who have been granted interim bail. In addition, 1,017 sentenced prisoners are also being freed on parole for three months. Vishwas said that it is impossible to follow the norms of social distancing in the number of inmates who are lodged in jails. Because there are 2000 prisoners in each prison. The minister said that in view of the present situation of Corona, inmates of each jails are being transported home by different vehicles. All prisoners will be delivered home within the next four-five days.
Prisoners are being released keeping in mind the criteria of social distancing
On March 21-22 at the Dum Dum Central Jail, there was a fierce violent clash with the security personnel of the prisoners, in which at least four prisoners were said to have died. Because, due to corona in jails, prisoners have been banned from meeting with their relatives and in court. There was a lot of uproar about this. Prisoners fired brick stones at the prison guards and tried to escape by tearing down the prison wall. The police had to fire.
Prisoners who were sentenced donated 60 thousand rupees to the Chief Minister’s Emergency Relief Fund
The Jail Minister said that a decision had already been taken to release the sentenced prisoners on parole. The minister said that many of the inmates who have been sentenced in many jails have donated money to the Chief Minister’s Emergency Relief Fund to fight the corona out of the money they have earned in the prison. He said that a group of inmates who are biting in the Midnapore Central Jail have donated Rs 50,000- 60,000.
Courtsey: jagran.com
