As per the direction of the Supreme Court to decongest the prisons in the wake of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, at least 109 under trial prisoners (UTPs) in Nagaland have been released for interim period on parole.
In a statement, NSLSA public relations assistant (PRA) said that the state has the capacity to accommodate 1450 prisoners. However, PRA said that at present inclusive of both UTPs and the convicts there were 537 out of which 12 were female.
In the light of the High Power Committee (HPC) direction, PRA said a total of 109 UTPs were released from the 11 districts jails and central jail Dimapur. PRA said the HPC decided that “interim bail is to be granted to UTPs who are facing trial in a case which prescribes a maximum sentence of 7 years or less”.
HPC also directed that if any inmate, released under its recommendation, threatened, induced any witness or any person acquainted with the facts of the case or to the victim of the case, would be taken into custody immediately. It further directed jail authorities to ensure social distancing of all prisoners/UTPs inside the jail and transfer of prisoners from one prison to another for routine reasons must not be resorted to except for decongestion purposes.
HPC has directed for creation of quarantine rooms/facilities where any prisoner exhibiting any symptom of COVID-19 should be immediately shifted to.