Rights Panel Notice To Punjab Over Report On "Drug Addicts" In Jail

The NHRC has sent notices to the Punjab government and the state's prison chief over a report that claims 42 per cent of prisoners in its jails are "drug addicts," officials said on Friday.

The National Human Rights Commission in a statement has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violation of inmates lodged in different jails in Punjab, including the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of prisons as well as the director general of prisons, Chandigarh, and sought a detailed report within four weeks, it said.

The Commission has "taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that official sources have quoted recent studies indicating that 42 per cent of prisoners in Punjab jails are drug addicts," the statement said.

Reportedly, the revelation came during a meeting held by the Punjab State Human Rights Commission with prominent stakeholders and experts to deliberate on challenges within the prison systems of Punjab and Chandigarh. It was attended by the Special DGP, Prisons ADGP, Additional IG-cum-Superintendent of Jail of Chandigarh and 25 superintendents of different jails of Punjab, it said.

The report should include action taken by the authorities to address the serious issue that came up during the meeting mentioned in the news report. The Commission would also like to know "what steps have been taken or proposed to be taken to save the prisoners of the Punjab and Chandigarh jails from the drug menace, in consonance with its advisory of the issued on June 19, 2023 regarding mitigating deliberate self-harm and suicide attempts by prisoners", the rights panel said.

According to the media report, carried on October 26, the meeting emphasised the necessity of adhering to the NHRC guidelines to safeguard the well-being of prisoners. The significant lapses in compliance, leading to instances of tuberculosis-related fatalities within the prison facilities were also highlighted besides, the vital need to establish drug de-addiction centres within the prison system, it said.

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