The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Jail deaths `pointer to official laxity'

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Saturday, May 07, 2005

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Jail deaths `pointer to official laxity'

Staff Reporter

Anbalagan seeks thorough probe into incident Over the last few years there had been several instances of inmates going on fasts or attempting suicide. Such incidents had made the prisoners restive

PONDICHERRY: The death of three prisoners in the Central Jail here on Tuesday last has brought to the fore the disquieting laxity of the authorities and the administration, said All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam State committee secretary A. Anbalagan.

Speaking to presspersons here on Friday, Mr. Anbalagan said over the last few years there had been several instances of inmates going on fasts or attempting suicide. Such incidents had made the prisoners restive.

`Overcrowding'

Alleging that the law and order situation was not good in Pondicherry, Mr. Anbalagan said the Central Jail here had a capacity of 100 inmates.

But nearly 300 inmates were being housed in the jail, and this was one of the reasons for the prisoner unrest, he said.

He sought a full-fledged probe to establish the actual facts behind the death of the prisoners.

JIPMER autonomy

On the Centre's move to grant autonomy to the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), he alleged that the Congress and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) were hand-in-glove on this issue.

(JIPMER is now under the control of Directorate General of Health Services, New Delhi).

Suspension opposed

The Confederation of Pondicherry State Government Employees Associations has expressed displeasure over the suspension of three jail warders in the wake of the death of three undertrials after allegedly consuming illicit liquor on Tuesday last.

R. Anandarajan, secretary, in a release here on Friday, said that the authorities had taken the decision without taking into consideration the ground realities.

The staff strength in the Central Jail was 30 against 110 prisoners. The number of inmates had risen to over 250 but there had been no corresponding increase in staff strength.

`Workload has increased'

The workload had increased and this had adversely affected safety aspect in the prison, he said.

Instead of increasing the strength of warders, the authorities had suspended the three warders.

Mr. Anandarajan sought the repeal of the suspension orders and the posting of adequate number of jail staff.

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