Himachal prisons overcrowded by 30%, Mandi jail has 3 times the sanctioned strength of inmates, House told
Himachal Pradesh's prisons are 30% over capacity, according to figures provided to the Vidhan Sabha by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. With 3,355 inmates lodged in 14 jails, the state's prisons hold 1,113 convicts, 2,203 undertrials and 39 civil or preventive detainees. Model Central Jail, Nahan is the most crowded, holding 553 inmates in a building designed for 471.
Other prisons with above-capacity populations include Model Central Jail, Kanda (530/438) and Dharamshala's District and Open Home (552/355). The Lala Lajpat Rai District Jail and Open Home, Dharamshala tops the list at 552 inmates in a space designed for 355. District Jail, Mandi houses 270 inmates in a 95-capacity facility, while Chamba's District Jail has 193 inmates against a capacity of 147.
Kinnaur's District Jail holds 237 inmates in a 183-capacity building. The government notes a shortage of medical officers in several prisons, and plans for a high-security prison are pending. Meanwhile, the state has seen a dramatic drop in cancer patient visits to its healthcare facilities. The government also reported receiving no funds for flood-affected citizens despite a promised Rs 1,500 crore allocation.
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