Amritsar jail houses 4,700 inmates against 2,200 capacity: PSHRC panel | Chandigarh News

Amritsar: Amritsar Central Jail is grappling with severe overcrowding, housing around 4,700 inmates against its sanctioned capacity of 2,200, with nearly 75% of them being undertrials, according to a release issued by the Amritsar core committee of the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) following its visit to the prison.The committee, comprising coordinator Ram Singh and members Vikram Maini, Amandeep Singh and Gagandeep Singh Pahwa, held discussions with Central Jail superintendent Rajeev Arora, SP Kunwar Surteg Singh and other senior officials to review conditions inside the jail.According to the committee, early disposal of pending cases and timely legal aid for eligible prisoners could play a crucial role in reducing overcrowding.

During the review, jail authorities identified drug smuggling as the biggest security challenge facing the prison.Officials informed the committee that the existing mobile signal jammers are not compatible with 5G networks, limiting efforts to curb illegal communication. They added that recently deployed German Shepherd sniffer dogs have achieved notable success in detecting narcotics.The committee recommended the installation of 5G-compatible jammers, deployment of additional sniffer dogs and maximum use of video conferencing for prisoner appearances in courts to help check the smuggling of contraband into the jail.The PSHRC team also reviewed de-addiction programmes, mental health services, medical facilities, skill development initiatives and rehabilitation schemes being implemented in the prison. It stressed the need to fill vacant medical posts, strengthen psychological counselling services and improve coordination between government departments and social organisations to support prisoners after their release.A shortage of manpower also emerged as a major concern. Jail authorities informed the committee that one guard is currently responsible for around 22 prisoners, far above the prescribed ratio of 1:5.The committee emphasised the need for increased recruitment of regular jail staff, better service conditions and continuous training of personnel.The PSHRC core committee said it had submitted detailed recommendations to the jail superintendent, stressing that prison reforms should focus not only on strengthening security but also on ensuring prisoners’ human rights, dignity, health, access to justice and rehabilitation.