Lucknow, July 16 : Forty-three prisoners, who were released during the Covid pandemic, have not returned to the jail.
Several prisoners were released on parole to prevent the infection from spreading since most jails in Uttar Pradesh are overcrowded.
After the pandemic got over most of the prisoners returned but 43 have gone missing from Lucknow jail.
The concerned jail administration has written several letters for their arrest, yet the police have not been able to catch the missing prisoners for one and a half years.
The jail authorities have, again, started the exercise to arrest the missing prisoners and letters have been sent to the concerned police officials to search for the missing prisoners.
It may be recalled that during the pandemic, the Supreme Court had directed the state governments to release on parole the convicted prisoners who were imprisoned for up to seven years.
Therefore, on the recommendation of the High-Power Committee constituted in the government, on May 20, 2021, a total of 122 prisoners lodged in the state capital’s district jail were released on parole for 90 days.
Later, due to the increasing graph of Corona, the parole period of the prisoners was extended. On the other hand, while going on parole, the jail administration gave strict instructions to the prisoners that after parole is over, everyone will have to return to jail as soon as the order is issued by the government.
The government issued an order and directed everyone to return to jail by July 20, 2021.
Only 79 prisoners returned to Lucknow jail after completion of parole period while 43 prisoners are missing. On the report of the Jail Administration, for the arrest of the missing prisoners, instructions were given to the police several times from the government to arrest the prisoners.
Jailor of District Jail Lucknow, Rajendra Singh said that along with the government, a letter is being written to the Superintendent of Police of the concerned district for the arrest of the missing prisoners. (IANS)
