Covid-19

COVID tally at Central Jail Srinagar nears 100, positive prisoners ‘shifted to isolation ward’

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Srinagar: Of the 483 samples tested so far at Srinagar’s Central Jail, 98 have turned out to be positive so far including six jail staffers and three women prisoners.

While talking to Free Press Kashmir, an official on the condition of anonymity said that the COVID tally at Srinagar’s Central Jail is 98 inclusive of six jail staffers.

“Most of the cases are asymptomatic and the positive inmates have been shifted to isolation ward,” the official added.

Located at old city’s Kathidarwaza, Central Jail Srinagar is one of the many over-crowded prisons in the valley that has now turned into a COVID hotspot.

According to the information provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Prisons Department website, Srinagar’s Central jail has a lodgement capacity of 360 inmates, but in the current pandemic, the jail remains overcrowded with 490 inmates of which 20 inmates are women.

Aasif Sultan, the assistant editor of a monthly magazine Kashmir Narrator, is also lodged in Central Jail. Aasif has been imprisoned for almost 2 years now facing charges of Unlawful Activates Prevention Act.

Talking to FPK, Adil Abdullah, one of the lawyers of a female jail inmate lodged in Central Jail Srinagar, said that it has been harsh for the prisoners lodged in the overcrowded prison.

“It has been extremely hard to console the families of the inmates who await some interim relief for their dear ones amidst the pandemic.” He added.

Earlier in July, as many as 90 prisoners lodged at District Jail Anantnag in South Kashmir had tested positive for COVID.

Officials in the jails said that besides 90 inmates, a police personnel and a contractor supplying daily essentials to the jail, had tested positive following which the administration had called for isolation of affected prisoners.

 

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