Prisoners Face Hardships Due to Lack of Proper Jail Management

  October 22, 2024 By: INSEC

The District Jail in Kanchanpur is facing management issues due to housing five times more prisoners than its capacity, causing significant hardships for the inmates. The ‘E’ category District Jail in Kanchanpur has a capacity of 95 inmates, including 20 women, but currently holds 514 prisoners, including 20 women.

Prakash Malla, the Watchman of the District Jail, Kanchanpur, complained that due to the jail housing five times more inmates than its capacity, prisoners are forced to wait in line to use the toilet and bathroom. He stated, “The jail holds five times more inmates than its capacity. However, there are only 12 toilets for men and two for women. Inmates are forced to wait for hours just to use the restroom.” Similarly, Sanjay Thapa, the leader of the jail complained that the overcrowding has deprived inmates of essential services such as sleeping space, food, laundry, bathing, access to toilets, and drinking water. He said, “We have to live in rooms with no space, and even wait for our turn to sleep. Mosquito bites are a constant problem. With five times more inmates than the jail’s capacity, we can’t get basic medical treatment, and health safety standards aren’t followed. We’re forced to live in dangerous conditions.” Inmate Tekraj Joshi complained that they are suffering because the government has not paid attention to jail reform. He said, “We don’t get to eat on time. We have to wait for hours to eat, sleep, and use the toilet. The jail is in such poor condition that when it rains, the roof leaks, making it impossible to stay inside. We are forced to crowd into tents within the jail premises. Although there are sports materials, there is no space to play. There are also no entertainment facilities or books available.” Likewise, Senior Superintendent Bhandev Joshi stated that although the government has defined jails as rehabilitation centers, the lack of corresponding programs and management has forced inmates to live in poor conditions.

District Jail Kanchanpur, established in 1966, is in a dilapidated condition, and the increasing number of inmates is causing problems for them in terms of food, shelter, and access to toilets, according to Jail Superintendent Maya Basnet. She stated that holding five times more inmates than capacity has created management issues. Due to a lack of space, 15 to 20 inmates are forced to share small rooms, while 40 to 50 inmates are placed into larger rooms, depriving them of their basic rights. Jail Superintendent Basnet stated that although the relevant authorities have been informed in writing about the need to construct a new building to address the issues, no action has been taken.

 


Lilli Kunwar