Thane: Behind prison walls, Covid spawns new freedom and a humane touch

MUMBAI: The current pandemic has spawned a new normal even behind prison walls. Whether it’s attempts at social distancing among prisoners, new tasks being taken up by those behind bars or the ebbing out of the acrimony typical between prisoners and jail staff.
Take for instance, the factory of Thane Central Jail, which used to impart skills to over 300 convicts at the facility. In a departure from the usual practice of manufacturing bread, biscuits and furniture, these days a group of convicts has been busy tailoring masks for the 26,000-odd lodged in prisons across the state. “Convicts tailors are making masks which are then being supplied to the other prisons,” said an official. Besides Thane, masks are also being made at a few others jails.
The rapid spread of the virus – nearly 1,500 cases have been reported in 26 prisons – has forced authorities to insist on masks for prisoners and social distancing to be maintained on prison premises.
Usually, most inmates are sent out of cells and allowed to sit in the open for breakfast. Now, there is a small change. “They cannot crowd together. Jail staff monitor that closely,” the official said.
A few jails, though overcrowded, are better equipped to deal with the scare of the virus spread. Arthur Road, for instance, has a 15-bed hospital and three full-time doctors to look after less-complicated cases. At one point, more than 100 inmates here were being treated for Covid-19 with staff from JJ Hospital paying them visits. Arthur Road, the first jail in the state to report a case, has since seen 100% recovery. All its 182 prisoners and 46 staff who were Covid-positive have recovered.
But not all central jails and districts jails have a similar rate of recovery. The total number of Covid cases has now touched 1,478, including 312 staff, and at least six deaths among inmates. Overall, 848 inmates have recovered and gone back to their cells. Some prisons could be struggling due to overcrowding and challenges of isolation amid space constraints. Some 10,000-odd prisoners were released on emergency parole or granted bail due to the pandemic as per recommendations made by a panel.
Deepak Pandey, inspector general of police (prisons) who has been visiting jails in the Mumbai metropolitan region to review the situation said he has noticed a change in prisoners’ attitude towards jail staff. “At such a time when people are scared of infection, jail officials visited Covid-infected prisoners to provide food in their rooms. Their respect for the men in khaki has gone up,” he said.
Pandey himself stayed put inside Kalyan jail for a week with staff to hold motivational sessions for the staff and infected inmates.
Additional director-general of police (prisons) in Pune, Sunil Ramanand, said he gives all the credit to jail staff. “They were helpful when inmates were undergoing treatment. A special diet and supplements were given to patients. The idea was to boost immunity of inmates.” he said.