Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Director General Prisons, V K Singh has said that as many as 542 inmates were affected by COVID-19 and two died in separate jails across the Union Territory.
Speaking at a cultural event organized to celebrate Holi 2021, in District Jail, Amphalla here, Singh informed that during the COVID pandemic 542 inmates across various Jails were affected by the virus of whom two died due to certain comorbidities.
He said that presently there is only one COVID case from District Jail Kathua.
“The cognitive behavioral therapy was taken up for insomnia affected inmates at District Jail Jammu and Central Jail Jammu, Kot Bhalwal,” he said and further added that since March 2020, 4204 inmates were released on bail by Courts and 41 inmates have been released on parole in pursuance of decisions taken by the High Powered Committee.
Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof Manoj Kumar Dhar was the Chief Guest on the occasion while as DGP Prisons, V. K Singh, DIG Prisons, J&K, Dr Mohammad Sultan Lone, HODs of various departments of the University of Jammu, clinical psychologists, officers of prison department were also present on the occasion.
During the programme, various cultural items, folk songs, Bollywood classics and Sufi songs were presented by the inmates amid huge applause from the audience.
The programme was conducted under proper COVID-19 SOPs and protocols.
Singh also highlighted that the Department is working towards making jails more tech-savvy with the introduction of video conferencing facility for trial, remand purpose, e-mulaqat facility and Prison Inmate Calling System besides establishment of modern interview rooms in jails is also in progress.