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Tuesday, October 14, 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

Inflation no longer dictated by just monsoon, repo rate. Why India needs a trade exposure index

A monthly publication of the Trade Exposure Inflation Index would enable markets, analysts, and the public to observe how much of inflation is actually imported versus how much is domestically generated.

Niti Aayog recommends fully decriminalising 12 offences under new I-T Act to ‘foster more trust’

Recommendations appear in Niti Aayog’s Tax Policy Working Paper Series–II. It says there is a need to shift away from fear-based enforcement to trust-based governance.

India, UK sign £350 mn deal for Martlet. What are these Lightweight Multirole Missiles

In service with the British military since 2019, it is also known as the Martlet missile. Ukrainians have also deployed these missiles against Russian troops.

CJI, IPS, IAS & Homebound: A wake-up call 75 years in the making

Education, reservations, govt jobs are meant to bring equality and dignity. That we are a long way from that is evident in the shoe thrown at the CJI and the suicide of Haryana IPS officer. The film Homebound has a lesson too.