COVID-19 scare: 74 inmates released on parole from Visakhapatnam Central Jail

As per instructions from the Supreme Court, the Visakhapatnam Central Jail authorities on Wednesday released 74 inmates on bail. The directives from the Supreme Court and Andhra Pradesh High Court came in due to the escalating coronavirus cases in the country.

The prisoners were sent home on a bail period to de-congest the prison and follow social distancing norms amidst the pandemic. Of the 74 prisoners, 53 were remand prisoners while 21 were convicted prisoners. The contingent consisted of seven female inmates as well. All the inmates hail from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam districts. Their families were contacted to pick them up from jail.

Superintendent of Visakhapatnam Central Jail S. Rahul spoke about the move and stated that all preventive measures are being taken inside the jail to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic is curbed. The officer said that while an isolation ward and a resident doctor are available in-house, no prisoners have been identified with the symptoms yet. Further, the officer stated that physical distance is being maintained stringently inside the jail. All areas inside the jail right from the barracks to the main entrance are being disinfected thoroughly and masks are provided to the inmates, said the officer. Thermal scanners are also in place to keep a tab on the inmates’ body temperatures constantly.

The Supreme Court in March directed all the states and Union Territories to release select prisoners in order to prevent overcrowding in jails. Instructions stated that prisoners sentenced to jail terms of up to seven years would be eligible for the parole. High-level panels were constituted to select the prisoners who would be granted the parole.