Hyderabad: Prisons in Telangana admitted 41,138 persons including 2,875 women across the State in 2024. Of the total admitted in different jails, 30,153 were undertrials.
Meanwhile, persons admitted to jails after being allegedly involved in NDPS cases nearly doubled with 6311 persons, including 312 being women.
The total admissions to the jails have drastically increased by nearly 10,000 in comparison to the previous year i.e., 2023. A highest of 18,855 persons admitted in Telangana jails during 2024 year were aged between 18 years and 30 years.
Director General (Prisons) Soumya Mishra said the prisons department was taking all measures to reform the prisoners and integrate them with the society. The prisons department was running small industries where prisoners were trained in different vocations so that after release these people get some work and earn their livelihoods.
She said Telangana prisons were running 29 fuel outlets at different places in the State where the ex-convicts are working. The department is working on modernisation of prisons as part of its ‘smart prisons’ initiative.
The prisons department is paying a substantial amount of Rs 200 a day to highly skilled prisoners, Rs 150 to skilled prisoners, semi-skilled – Rs 125 and unskilled prisoners – Rs 100.
On the initiative to reform prisoners, she said through Dr. B R Ambedkar Open University, 750 inmates secured graduation degree while 225 inmates secured post-graduation degree during their stay in the jails. She also said a jail museum will soon be opened for the public possibly at the Central Prison Chanchalguda.
To a question of VVIPs and celebrities lodged in prisons in the State, she clarified that no specific privileges were given to anyone . “Nobody is above law. We go according to the jail manual. If court orders then we will act accordingly and extend it,” said the official.