Bhubaneswar: In an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Odisha jails, the Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services has ordered the transfer of 989 prisoners from overcrowded to less crowded prisons.
At present, there are 90 jails in Odisha with around 17,519 inmates. Reportedly, some jails are overcrowded with more than their accommodating capacity.
As per reports, around 1,873 prisoners were released on bail between March 1 and April 1, 2020, and 20 inmates were allowed to go on parole because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services also informed that 177 prisoners were set free considering their decent behaviour during the imprisonment period.
Earlier, Odisha jails had introduced e-visit facilities for the prisoners to abide by the social distancing norms during the pandemic.
