Hyderabad: The DG (prisons) V.K. Singh has blamed doctors and the health department for the very many deaths of prisoners while undergoing treatment. As many as 53 prisoners died in jails and hospitals while undergoing treatment in 2013.
The number rose to 56 in 2014, and came down to 32 in 2015. In the last eight months, about 15 prisoners have died. Singh wrote to the principal secretary (health) complaining that most of these deaths were due to the negligence of doctors and hospital staff. "If any death takes place in future, I will myself lodge a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against doctors and the health department, apart from filing criminal cases at the respective police stations," he said in the letter.
“We take care of the prisoners admitted in government hospitals. Daily, we send at least two officials to verify their health. Based on preliminary reports given by these officials, I wrote the letter to principal secretary (hea-lth),” he told DC.
Singh said most of the prisoners were being hospitalised because of diseases related to the excessive use of tobacco products. The department had taken the initiative to improve the health of prisoners. "We have banned tobacco products in a phased manner. Initially, we reduced the quota of cigarettes, tobacco, beedi and other products. Last year, we banned all tobacco products inside jail,” he said.
After the ban, nearly 20 per cent of the prisoners who were addicted became violent. To overcome the situation, “We provided a series of counselling sessions." Besides this, the prisons department made daily parade compulsory for all prisoners apart from physical exercises and yoga classes in the evening, he said.
PRISONER DEATHS
Over 130 prisoners have died in state jails in three years
Year Deaths
2013 53
2014 56
2015 32
CS to review functioning
Chief secretary Rajiv Sharma will review the functioning of the prisons department at a meeting on March 9, as asked by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Prisons’ DG VK Singh will highlight the initiatives of the department in the last two years.
