127 prisoners released from Dibrugarh Central Jail for Lockdown

Our Staff Correspondent

Dibrugarh: Around 127 prisoners were released from the Dibrugarh Central Jail since the imposition of nationwide lockdown.

Talking to The Sentinel, Superintendent of Dibrugarh Jail, Brajen Das said that paying due importance to certain rules and directives of the high court, specific steps were being taken in the jail to avoid widespread infection from coronavirus. Since nationwide lockdown was clamped in the country, the jail authority here, as per recommendation of the high-powered committee headed by chairperson of State Legal Aid, Justice Koteswar Singh, 96 prisoners were released under PR bond while 13 had gone for annual leave. “Those who are on leave need not report even after their leave of one month if lockdown remains,” Das added. Answering a query, Das said that trial of cases was being performed through video conference instead of presenting the prisoner in the court. “All arrangements for video conferencing are available in the jail campus,” Das said.

In order to maintain social distancing, the authority has banned visit of relatives of prisoners in the jail. Since imposition of lockdown, Das said that relatives were allowed to communicate with respective prisoners through mobile phone or video call. He further said that to maintain social distancing after release of prisoners, all were transported by cars to their respective home with help from district administration. To sensitize 450 prisoners and more than 60 jail officials and staffs, it is mandatory for all to wear masks, practice hand wash and maintain social distancing during their day-to-day works, even while practicing yoga also.

The district administration at the initial lockdown stage had provided masks to all prisoners and others, Das said. “To meet the heavy demand of masks, we have engaged our prisoners in production of large-scale mask in the jail complex,” he added. Sanitization and cleanliness activities and other precautionary measures will be adhered in the jail complex strictly to combat effectively the threat of COVID-19, Das asserted.

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