Bhubaneswar: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its annual Prison Statistics India report-2019 has said that Odisha has the highest number of inmates lodged in sub-jails.
According to the report, a total of 8,423 prisoners are lodged in the sub-jails in Odisha followed by Madhya Pradesh (6,622) and Rajasthan (3,385).
At present, Odisha has a total of 91 jails. This includes 5 central jails, 9 district jails, 73 sub-jails, one women’s jail, one open jail and 2 special jails.
In terms of the capacity of the jails, the report states that the two Special jails in Rourkela and Bhubaneswar have 1236 prisoners against the maximum capacity of 1551, which is also highest in the country.
Besides, the five central jails in Baripada, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Banapur and Barbil are overcrowded. As against the total capacity of 3126, the number of prisoners lodged in these jails is 3859.
The 9 district jails are also overcrowded. As against a total capacity of 3543, the number of prisoners lodged in these jails is 3949.
The report has also said that among the total number of prisoners in Odisha, 27 women are staying in different jails with 18 children.
While 53 under-trial prisoners and life convicts have died of illness in jail, there have been five unnatural deaths, the report added.
