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| Jailbreak in Srinagar's Central Jail not ruled out | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 13: Srinagar's Central Jail is vulnerable to jailbreak because of lack of adequate space there.
The jail houses inmates above its capacity and there are always chances that minor scuffles could turn into major clashes. Despite the possibilities of jailbreak, the government has failed to shift the prison from the congested old city Srinagar.
The government had proposed shifting of the Central Jail in 2010. "It is on papers that the Central Jail will be shifted from the present location to Srinagar outskirts. But no progress has been made over the years. Even government has not identified the location for the shifting of the Central Jail," an official of the Home Department, said.
There are 16 prisons in the state, but Central Jail Srinagar always remains over crowded. The intake capacity of existing prisons in the state is over 3000.
The Central Jail comprises of 17 barracks. Located near the hillock of Hariparbat, the extension of the city has since overtaken it and human settlements have come around it. It is the oldest prison in the state and its building also bears signs of age and decay.
"Lots of repair and renovation is done every year to keep it in a good condition and secure," the official said. "There is no scoop to expand it at its present location due to congestion in its surroundings," the official said.
The government has also decided that Central Jail's existing spaces would be used as craft centres.
It has been found that drainage and electric wire system in the jail has deteriorated over the years.
Last week clashes broke out between inmates and the staff at the Central Jail as prisoners staged a protest against the move to shift them within the prison facility for renovation of some barracks. Two prisoners sustained injuries and a building also suffered damages. District Development Commissioner Srinagar has been asked to probe the matter.
State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) had pulled up the state government several times due to congestion in prisons for accommodating more prisoners than the existing strength.
A senior admitted that there was a need to shift the Central Jail from existing location. |
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