CUTTACK: At a time when jails are fast turning into hotbeds of COVID-19, gross negligence on the part of police and prison officials in adhering to the safety protocols is posing risk for virus spread in the district. 

Though a high-powered committee constituted by direction of Supreme Court has framed standard operating procedure (SOP) in respect of arresting and forwarding accused persons to the court, the same is not followed strictly by the police personnel.

As per the protocol, an arrested person should undergo COVID-19 test before being forwarded to judicial custody. If the accused tests positive, then he/she should be shifted to Covid hospital for treatment instead of forwarding him to the court. But as police are not adhering to the protocols while arresting and forwarding accused, the jails in the district are witnessing a spurt in infection.

In the recent incident on July 19, an ASI of Baranga police station who is in-charge of Godi Sahi police outpost had arrested a youth of Naraj in connection with a criminal case. His swab sample was collected and sent for Covid test on the same day and the accused was forwarded to court the next day. The test report came on July 20 evening and the accused tested positive. Following which, health officials had collected swab samples of 10 persons, including 8 employees of the outpost and two local shopkeepers, while tracing the contacts of the infected accused, and sent for test on July 22. 

While the ASI concerned tested positive on July 23, the health officials had to start further contact tracing of the infected cop. “As per law, we have to produce an accused in the court within 24 hours after the arrest. Hence, how can we wait for the test report,” said a senior police officer. On the other hand, after rejection of the bail in the court, the accused was remanded to Choudwar Circle Jail on July 20. However, a phone call from the CDMO office informed the jail official about the Covid infected inmate on July 22 following which the Health department had to go for tracing the contacts of the infected UTP. 

Though 25 swab samples were collected from 12 staff and 13 inmates, the test report is yet to come, said Choudwar Circle Jail Superintendent Subhakanta Mishra. “Considering the situation, we have set up quarantine facility for 64 male and 8 female inmates and arranged 28 single cells for isolating the inmates inside the jail. While a doctor has been engaged to monitor both the facilities, the new inmates will have to remain quarantined for 14 days,” said Mishra.     

Nine inmates infected

So far, nine inmates and a staffer of Choudwar Circle Jail have been infected while around 50 others have been quarantined. Of the total 819 inmates, including 775 male and 44 female, 576 are under trial prisoners and the rest 243 are convicts. The Choudwar Circle Jail has 117 staff. 

Protocols

An arrested person should undergo Covid test before being forwarded to judicial custody. If the accused tests positive, then he/she should be shifted to Covid hospital for treatment instead of forwarding him to court