COVID-19: District jail in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri releases 38 inmates to decongest prison

The district jail here on Monday released 38 prisoners on interim bail of eight weeks to decongest the premises amid the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

The move is part of the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to release 11,000 prisoners lodged in 71 jails in the state to prevent overcrowding in prisons in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The 38 undertrial prisoners were accused in criminal cases which qualified for jail terms of seven years or less. In view of the coronavirus threat, these prisoners were granted interim bail of eight weeks," District Jail Superintendent R B Patel said.

The Uttar Pradesh government decided to release 11,000 prisoners after the Supreme Court directed all states and union territories to constitute high-level committees to consider releasing on parole or interim bail prisoners and undertrials for offences entailing up to 7-year jail term to decongest prisons in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The top court said overcrowding of prisons is a matter of serious concern, particularly in the present context of coronavirus.

Sixteen new coronavirus positive cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, taking the total tally in the state to 88, officials said in Lucknow.