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Monday, December 22, 2025
TopicIndian prisons

Topic: Indian prisons

Mangalsutra, shampoo for women & sweets on festivals — UP’s new jail manual makes basics ‘official’

UP has done away with its British-era manual, letting go of some archaic rules, like the ‘Kala Pani’ punishment, and making ‘official’ basic benefits already being given to inmates.

As Modi govt plans NDPS Act changes, 27,072 drug case undertrials in India rot in jails

Over 10% of 2,58,883 jailed undertrials were arrested for offences under NDPS Act. Modi govt is planning to decriminalise personal consumption of small quantities of drugs.

Prisoners are twice as likely to die by suicide. Existing laws do little to help them

A lack of psychiatrists, psychologists, technology, and dysfunctional state machinery is contributing to worsening mental health conditions in prisons.

Irregular meetings with mom, bullying: Grim findings of NCPCR survey on women prisoners’ kids

Survey was conducted across eight jails & 15 childcare institutions in Bihar, Maharashtra, UP, Andhra. Visits to prisons & childcare institutions were made between August 2019 & January 2020.

There’s 1 judge for every 50,000 citizens, 1 cop for 858 people, shows India Justice Report

India Justice Report, which also compiles rankings on state of judiciary, police, prisons and legal aid, ranks Maharashtra as the top big state and UP as the last.

Delhi has 75% more prisoners than capacity, 69% of all prisoners in India are undertrials

According to a CHRI analysis of NCRB prisons data, India’s overall jail occupancy rate is 118.5%. In 8 states & UTs, this figure is over 150%.

Overcrowded Agra jail releases 71 inmates accused of theft, robbery amid coronavirus scare

The prisoners have been released on short-term bail for 56 days, after which they will have to return to the jail. Over 300 others may be released in coming days.

COVID-19 fear, cylinder bombs, hidden arms — how inmates at Bengal prison unleashed mayhem

Alleged resentment over COVID-19-related restrictions triggered 2 days of violence at Dum Dum jail, leading to 4 deaths. But police suspect a bigger conspiracy.

Another data mishap? NCRB’s new prisons report has no caste, religion breakdown of inmates

Representation of some social group in jails has been higher to their share in population but NCRB’s 2016 report takes away that understanding as well.

James Tooley’s book exposes the barbarism of Indian prisons and justice system

James Tooley is a British professor who was put in an Indian prison for four months on false charges because a colleague in his...

On Camera

Violence over Osman Hadi is about Islamist Bangladesh. India-baiting is a distraction

The attack on Chhayanaut, newspaper offices, and the public lynching of a Hindu man show that Bangladesh is heading toward Islamist rule, far removed from electoral democracy.

China is taking India to WTO over subsidies, again. Here’s what it’s arguing before trade body

Dispute will now move to consultative process, which allows the two sides to come to an amicable agreement within 60 days.

Israel has ‘realised who its real friend is’, eyes defence expansion in India amid arms curbs by others

It is argued that India-Israel ties are moving from buyer–seller dynamic to one focused on joint development & manufacturing partnership, a shift 'more durable' than traditional arms sales.

Dhurandhar shows hard cinema is soft power and Pakistan is unapologetically the target

If Pathaan gave both conservatives and liberals room to hide, Dhurandhar extends no such courtesy. Aditya Dhar ripped open that tent of hypocrisy and turned the knife.