Due to the pandemic, the prison department had suspended visits to the jail since March 17. (Representational)
The Vadodara Central Jail authorities have been providing video conferencing facility — e-mulaqat — for inmates to talk to their family members during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Due to the pandemic, the prison department had suspended visits to the jail since March 17.
“E-mulaqat facilities were provided earlier as well but they have been put to best use amid the pandemic. Due to the lockdown, visitors were not allowed to meet the inmates. So, we started the online system so that the prisoners could stay connected with their family members through video conferencing,” said Jail Superintendent Baldev Waghela.
In March, 115 such intersections were facilitated by the Vadodara Central Jail through video conferencing and 245 in April. The prisons department has a special application for the same which can be downloaded by the relatives and friends of the inmates on their respective mobile phones and the inmates will have access to the application through systems within the jail itself.
The video conferencing facility has also been availed by those inmates who have to mark their presence for hearing of their cases or for giving testimony.