UP to set up temporary jails for criminals in quarantine

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government is setting up temporary jails for keeping criminals, who are arrested or have surrendered, in quarantine until they test negative for Covid-19

This move is expected to ensure that there is no spread of the virus among the convicts and undertrials lodged in jails..

"All the jail superintendents have been instructed to contact their respective district administrations and start setting up temporary prisons," said Anand Kumar, DG, prisons.

"Instructions have been given to jail superintendents to resume manufacturing of masks, sanitiser and to conduct regular yoga exercises for prisoners and staff to increase their immunity and protect them from Covid," he added,

At present, there are 48 temporary jails in Uttar Pradesh which carries around 3,500 prisoners.

The prisons department has also requested courts to conduct hearing of cases of convicts and undertrials via video conferencing to avoid the spread of infection.

Avanish Awasthi, who serves as Additional Chief Secretary of the Home department has directed all the district magistrates to write to corresponding district judges, and request them for the same.