NEW DELHI: There are 16 jails in Delhi, including two for women, with the capacity to house a total of 10,026 inmates. However, last year, 18,295 inmates, including 1,569 convicts and 16,665 undertrials, were lodged in these jails, the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report has revealed. Tihar prison complex is one of the largest prisons in Asia, which usually remains filled beyond its capacity. An officer said, to decongest the overcrowded jails in the city, they have got land to build a new prison complex in Narela. “We may build three to four jails in which 4,000 inmates can be lodged. It will help in decongesting the existing prisons,” the officer added. According to the NCRB report, maximum number of prisoners, including convicts as well as undertrials (UTPs), lodged in the three prison complexes in Delhi were booked for heinous crimes like rape and murder. Apart from this, many prisoners were involved in cases of thefts and booked under special laws too. NCRB data shows that 1,087 convicts were involved in offences affecting the human body. “547 were lodged in the jails for murder, 358 rape, 114 attempt to murder,15 dowry deaths, 31 kidnapping/abduction and 18 culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” it shows. Similarly, 7,523 undertrials were also lodged for committing offences affecting the human body. 2,733 were lodged for murder, 2,238 rape, 1,476 attempt to murder, 219 dowry deaths, 524 kidnapping/abduction and 222 culpable homicide not amounting to murder. As many as 238 convicts were lodged for offences against property, including 65 for robbery and 96 dacoity. Under special and local laws, 185 were inside prisons. Similarly, 6,166 UTPs were lodged for offences against property, including 2,728 for thefts, 946 robberies and 1,426 dacoities. Under special and local laws, as many as 2,569 were behind bars. According to data on the convicts, 381 were illiterate, 681 studied below Class X, as many as 363 studied Class X and above but below graduation, 105 were graduates, 19 diploma holders and 20 postgraduates. Similarly, 4,449 undertrials were illiterates, 6,018 studied below Class X and 4,913 inmates studied Class X and above but below graduation. Over 900 were graduates, 102 diploma holders and 265 postgraduates. The report shows that last year, more than 4,500 inmates benefitted from educational facilities provided by the jail authorities. The data further shows that as many as 420 convicts were in the age group of 18-30 years, 935 of 30-50 years and 214 were 50 years and above. Similarly, most of UTPs (10,318) were aged 18-30 years, 5,487 between 30 and 50 years and 860 were 50 years and above. Last year, 70 deaths were reported in the prisons, including 12 unnatural deaths (eight suicides, two murders and two others). Total 61 convicts and 589 UTPs lodged inside prisons were foreign nationals. Among them, maximum prisoners were from Nigeria. The data shows that 12 inmates were given capital punishment and 668 life imprisonment. In 2021, as many as 1,603 convicts and 43,256 undertrials were released or transferred. About 1,300 inmates were suffering from mental illness.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-tihar-overcrowded-max-inmates-behind-bars-for-rape-murder-theft-says-ncrb-report/articleshow/93976085.cms