IMPHAL, May 20: Undertrials currently lodged in the two central jails in the State have appealed to the concerned authorities for speedy trial.
A team of mediapersons under the aegis of All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) today visited the Sajiwa Central Jail and the Imphal Central Jail and interacted with both the inmates and jail staff.
Speaking on their grievances to the media team, UT inmates in both the jails echoed a desire for speedy trials.
They said they have suffered much and want either to be convicted or freed.
Meanwhile, Jail Superintendent W Phanitphang said the Sajiwa Central Jail has a capacity of 720 inmates.
The jail set up in June 1992 during RK Dorendro Singh’s tenure as Manipur Chief Minister had never been repaired till date, he lamented.
The State government had recently allotted Rs 10 lakh for minor repairing works of the jail, he added.
In 2015, the State government for the first time inducted Manipur Jail Service officers as Superintendents of both the jails, he said.
At present, altogether 578 inmates including 342 UTP (non-extremist), 124 UTP (extremist), 27 under NSA, 43 under NDPS and 42 convicted of crimes are lodged at the Sajiwa Central Jail, he added.
He said the jail administration which is under an Additional Director General of Police has initiated many welfare activities for the inmates including setting up of gymnasium by Animal Gym during the tenure of IK Muivah as Jail Superintendent.
Vocational trainings for the inmates including production of plastic items like bags, vase are also conducted under the Industry department, he said.
Counselling for the inmates including spiritual counselling are conducted every Sunday, while yoga demonstrations by yoga experts, sports and musical shows are also organised from time to time, he added.
Phanitphang also said that an IGNOU study centre was also introduced in the Sajiwa Central Jail on February 8, 2012 and inmates are encouraged to enroll themselves in academic courses.
He said many of inmates have completed their matriculation and even graduation through the study centre.
Stating that a library will be set up soon, he said local dailies are made available to the inmates.
The jail authority has more than 200 books donated by the public at present, he added.
He continued seven mobile phone jammers out of eight have already been installed. However, they will be activated only after all eight are installed, he said acknowledging that there are cases when inmates were found in possession of mobile phones and communicating with people from outside.
Of the 32 Closed Circuit Television installed in the jail premises, 20 are not working at present and need repairing, he added.
Phanitphang further suggested a three tier security system for the jails and elaborated as the administration would be under the Manipur Jail Services officers, internal security and the tower guards could be outsourced to other security forces.
Citing that there are more than 150 vacancies of personnel at the moment, he said they are facing an abject lack of man-power.
Imphal Central Jail superintendent Th Subhaschandra said the jail was set up in 1903, and there has been no repairing of the jail since then.
At present, there are 50 inmates including seven UTP (extension), two UTP (strikers), 21 UTP (others) eight under NSA, 11 foreigners and a convict, he said.
Other than the 11 foreigners all other inmates are females, he added.
Subhaschandra narrating an unexpected incident said there was an incident when an inmate had given birth in the jail.
He said inmate’s husband is also presently lodged at the Sajiwa Central Jail.
The woman was given bail considering the birth of her child; however, after she failed to bear her bail amount along with the reason that she has nowhere to go, she has remained lodged in the jail, he added.
The jail authorities have provided all necessary help to both the mother and the child, he asserted.
Vocational trainnings like embroidery and tailoring are also provided for the inmates, he said and added those who complete a six-month training are provided with a sewing machine.
The jail authority also provides legal aid service, medical facilities to the inmates, he added.
Meanwhile, the jail superintendent said although the conviction periods of the foreigners lodged in the jail have expired, they are still lodged in the jail as their legal documents from their respective countries are yet to reach the jail authorities, he asserted.
He added full particulars of the foreigners have been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, and waiting for replies.
