Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday informed that 3,500 inmates will be released from prisons in Thane district. These prisoners will be released on furlough and parole.
During his visit to Thane, Deshmukh said that these 3,500 were out of the 17,000 prisoners to be released on the decision taken by a high-level committee. The Maharashtra Home Minister also stated that the travel arrangements will be made for the transportation of the inmates to their hometowns.
Maharashtra released 317 prisoners on emergency parole. Six of them were released from Arthur Road and Byculla jails each while 50 inmates from Taloja jail among others. Deshmukh informed that a total of 1,827 prisoners have been released till now.
Many prisoners and prison staff have been tested positive for COVID-19 from Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai and several cases were also reported from women’s jail in Byculla. Of the 27,524 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra while Mumbai alone has reported 6,768 coronavirus cases.
Earlier on Monday, a high-level committee appointed by the Maharashtra government decided to release around 50 per cent inmates, temporarily. The committee informed that the releasing at least 17,000 prisoners out of the 35,239 would substantially decongest the prisons across the state.
The committed comprises of Bombay High Court Justice AA Sayed, Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Home Department Sanjay Chahande and Maharashtra Director General Prisons SN Pandey.
It was appointed by the Maharashtra government for the emergency release on parole or bail of prison inmates after the Supreme Court asked the states to reduce overcrowding in jails amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Maharashtra Police informed that 1,001 policemen have tested positive for COVID-19 so far while the death toll of police personnel succumbed to COVID-19 has risen to 9.
Also Read - Mumbai Prepared To Handle Projected Spike In COVID-19 Cases
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