In Delhi’s Tihar jail, the most populated prison complex in India, at least 52 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19 and 35 of them have been hospitalised. Besides inmates, the prison doctor is among the seven jail officials to have contracted the virus. At present, Tihar has over 20,000 prisoners as against its capacity of around 10,000.
The Tihar jail had reported only 19 coronavirus cases with no official infected until April 6 and the infection rapidly spread while isolation spaces inside the prison were being set up, officials told the Hindustan Times.
“Three prisoners were critical and had to be admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital; 32 prisoners have been admitted as a precautionary measure at two different hospitals; 17 others are in self-isolation in the jail. The seven jail employees are isolating outside,” a jail official told the HT anonymously.
“Today, more than 20,000 prisoners are in Tihar. The sanctioned capacity is only 10,026. In the last one week, more than 40 cases have been reported. We are finding ways to ensure social distancing, but it is a challenge. We fear the infection will spread more quickly than last time,” said another officer.
Meanwhile, director general of Tihar, Sandeep Goel, said, “We are creating isolation spaces within the prison. The bi-weekly visit by families from outside has been suspended. Prisoners are being produced in courts only virtually.”
On Sunday, around 200 eligible inmates of the three jails in the national capital have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus so far, and none of them has reported any adverse events, officials said.
A total of 326 inmates in the Delhi’s prisons are above 60 years, and over 300 in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities. These two categories are eligible for vaccination in the ongoing nationwide drive.
Earlier, the Delhi Prisons Department had set up a COVID-19 vaccination centre inside Tihar Jail to vaccinate the inmates. It was set up in the central jail hospital at jail number 3, they said.
Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said, “Around 160 inmates in Tihar jail and around 40 in Rohini and Mandoli jails have been vaccinates so far.” The vaccination drive for prison inmates started on March 18. The officials said they are sending inmates of Rohini and Mandoli jails to the nearest government vaccination centre under police protection for taking jabs.
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