Lok Sabha Question No. 23 (STARRED), answered on 2019-02-05
Subject: Deaths in Prisons
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: VISHNU DAYAL RAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *23

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019/ MAGHA 16, 1940 (SAKA)

DEATHS IN PRISONS

*23. SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number and major causes of deaths in prisons, State-wise;

(b)  whether any audit on the condition of prisons has been conducted in the country;

(c) if so, the date on which the last such audit was conducted along with the outcome of the said audits;

(d) if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the details of rehabilitation facilities being successfully provided in the jails  to  ensure  that  criminals  are  deterred  from  committing  crimes  in future?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *23 FOR 5 TH  FEBRUARY 2019

- (a):       As  per  published  data  of  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB), State-wise  and  cause-wise  details  of  incidence  of  death  of  inmates  in prisons during 2015 are given in Annexure-I.  The latest data pertains to the year 2015.

(b) to (e):    No specific audit of prisons has been conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as 'Prisons' is a 'State' subject under Entry 4 of List II  of  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.    The  State Governments are, therefore, responsible for the administration and management  of  their  prisons  and  are  competent  to  get  prison  facilities audited  and  formulate  appropriate  schemes  and  policies  for  providing rehabilitation facilities to criminals in jails to prevent recidivism.  However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued advisories to States and UTs from  time  to  time  on  wide-ranging  issues  relating  to  Prisons,  including after-care and rehabilitation of prisoners. MHA has also circulated a Model Prison Manual, 2016 to all States and UTs which has dedicated chapters on 'After-care and  Rehabilitation' and  'Vocational Training and  Skill Development programmes' for prison inmates.

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## State/UT-wise Incidence of Deaths of Inmates due to Various Causes in Prisons during 2015

| Sl.   | State/UT          |                | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths                              | Unnatural Deaths     | Unnatural Deaths                                      | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   |                       |
|-------|-------------------|----------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|
| No.   |                   | Natural Deaths | Suicide            | Execu- tion        | Murder by Inmates  | Deaths due to Assault by Out- side Eleme- nts | Deaths due To Firing | Deaths due to Negli- gence / Excess by Jail Personnel | Others             | Total Col.4 To 10  | Total (Col.3+ Col.11) |
| (1)   | (2)               | (3)            | (4)                | (5)                | (6)                | (7)                                           | (8)                  | (9)                                                   | (10)               | (11)               | (12)                  |
| 1     | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 35             | 6                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 6                  | 41                    |
| 2     | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 1                     |
| 3     | ASSAM             | 28             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 30                    |
| 4     | BIHAR             | 83             | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 1                  | 84                    |
| 5     | CHHATTISGARH      | 50             | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 50                    |
| 6     | GOA               | 1              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 1                     |
| 7     | GUJARAT           | 24             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 26                    |
| 8     | HARYANA           | 44             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 46                    |
| 9     | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 5              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 2                  | 2                  | 7                     |
| 10    | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 2              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 11    | JHARKHAND         | 37             | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 3                  | 5                  | 42                    |
| 12    | KARNATAKA         | 65             | 9                  | 0                  | 1                  | 1                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 11                 | 76                    |
| 13    | KERALA            | 41             | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 2                  | 2                  | 43                    |
| 14    | MADHYA PRADESH    | 131            | 4                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 4                  | 135                   |
| 15    | MAHARASHTRA       | 107            | 6                  | 1                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 7                  | 114                   |
| 16    | MANIPUR           | 3              | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 1                  | 4                     |
| 17    | MEGHALAYA         | 4              | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 1                  | 5                     |
| 18    | MIZORAM           | 2              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 19    | NAGALAND          | 0              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 20    | ODISHA            | 43             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 45                    |
| 21    | PUNJAB            | 173            | 4                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 5                  | 178                   |
| 22    | RAJASTHAN         | 56             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 58                    |
| 23    | SIKKIM            | 0              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 24    | TAMIL NADU        | 63             | 5                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 6                  | 69                    |
| 25    | TELANGANA         | 33             | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 33                    |
| 26    | TRIPURA           | 1              | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 1                  | 2                     |
| 27    | UTTAR PRADESH     | 302            | 9                  | 0                  | 1                  | 3                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 8                  | 21                 | 323                   |
| 28    | UTTARAKHAND       | 14             | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 16                    |
| 29    | WEST BENGAL       | 86             | 10                 | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 2                  | 12                 | 98                    |
|       | TOTAL (STATES)    | 1434           | 70                 | 1                  | 2                  | 7                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 17                 | 97                 | 1531                  |
| 30    | A & N ISLANDS     | 1              | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 2                  | 3                     |
| 31    | CHANDIGARH        | 4              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 4                     |
| 32    | D&NHAVELI         | 0              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 33    | DAMAN&DIU         | 0              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 34    | DELHI             | 30             | 4                  | 0                  | 9                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 2                  | 15                 | 45                    |
| 35    |                   | 0              | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
|       | LAKSHADWEEP       | 0              |                    | 0                  |                    |                                               |                      |                                                       |                    |                    | 1                     |
| 36    | PUDUCHERRY        |                | 1                  |                    | 0                  | 0                                             | 0                    | 0                                                     | 0                  | 1                  |                       |

Source: Prison Statistics India