161 undertrial prisoners released from Surat jail on interim bail

Sources said that those released on interim bail have been medically screened by doctors before their release.

The interim bail given to the prisoners is for 60 days and when required, it can be extended, said Surat central jail Superintendent Manoj Ninama.

“We have worked as per the guidelines laid for the release. A high power committee was also formed for selection of these prisoners,” the superintendent said.

Some of the prisoners who were on the list of inmates to be released had said they did not want go outside fearing the spread of virus.

Sources in the Surat Central jail said that out of the 2,562 prisoners lodged in the jail, 644 are convicted and 1,763 are undertrials including 88 women, while 155 were arrested under Prevention of Antisocial Activities Act (PASA).

With the large number of COVID-19 cases being reported from Surat, the authorities has been sanitising the jail premises constantly. All the inmates were provided with napkins and sanitizer bottles.

“Masks have been made compulsory for the prisoners. In a barrack, we keep 20 prisoners and they are made to sleep on the floor keeping safe distances,” added Ninama.

Out of a total of 144 barracks, the jail authorities also had made 14 quarantine barracks. The authorities had done medical checkup of the inmates twice after the imposition of lockdown.

“We have stopped the meeting between the inmates and outsiders. We have also made arrangements for prisoners to talk to their family members over local phones and through internet calls,” Ninama further said.