Jharkhand to release 129 life-term serving prisoners on Oct 2

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government will release 129 life-term serving prisoners on the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, said an official on Tuesday.

The decision was taken earlier in the day at a Punishment Review Committee meeting that took place at the state secretariat under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Raghubar Das.

A total 137 cases were brought before the committee, out of which five were rejected and three were kept pending, said a government statement.

Of the 129 prisoners, 65 belong to Scheduled Tribes, 13 are above 60 and two are women.

"Sometimes people commit crime under some influence and if such people realise that they have committed crime, they should be released," said Das.

In April this year, the Jharkhand Punishment review committee had decided to release 221 prisoners.