28 Tezpur Central Jail inmates test positive for coronavirus

According to reports, as many as 40 prison inmates were tested using the rapid antigen method, out of which 28 inmates tested positive for the dreaded contagion.

With this, the number of Tezpur Jail inmates who have tested positive for the dreaded contagion has risen to 56 inmates.

The infections in the jails have been reported at a time when concerns have been raised by several human rights bodies over the treatment meted out to prisoners with the pandemic looming large.

Concerns have been raised after over 44% of the 984 prisoners in Guwahati Central Jail, including peasant leader Akhil Gogoi and student activist Sharjeel Imam, have tested positive for COVID-19.

Taking note of the health concerns within the jails, the Guwahati High Court has ordered the Assam government to provide the best treatment to prisoners who have tested positive for COVID-19 after suo motu cognizance of the rising number of cases inside the jails.

Due to the ongoing pandemic scenario, the Assam government will release 376 prisoners in the next few days to decongest jails across the state after 535 inmates tested positive for COVID-19, an official informed media last week. Of the 376 prisoners to be released, 111 are presently lodged in Guwahati Central Jail, he said.

The rest of the Assam prisoners are now lodged in the district jails of Nalbari, Dhubri, Karimganj, North Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Diphu and Udalguri, he added.

According to officials, the prisoners are being released at regular intervals "to decongest the jails" as per a Supreme Court directive given at the very onset of the outbreak.

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