Rajasthan govt to decide on random sampling of prisoners for COVID-19 on Monday

The Rajasthan government may take a decision on Monday to conduct random sampling of prisoners lodged in various jails in the state.

Jaipur: Concerned over the spread of coronavirus infection to more than 140 prisoners in Jaipur jails, the government may take a decision on Monday to conduct random sampling of prisoners lodged in other jails of the state.

"A decision regarding random sampling of prisoners lodged in various jails in Rajasthan is likely to be taken tomorrow," a senior official said.

After COVID-19 cases were reported in the Jaipur district jail, the jail authorities got all the inmates and staff members tested for the virus.

In the district jail, the jail superintendent and 130 inmates have tested positive so far. A few cases have also been reported from the central jail.

"All the inmates and staff members of Jaipur district jail have been tested for coronavirus. Cases have come up from one ward in Jaipur''s central jail also and now we have decided to conduct random sampling in other wards of the central jail, DG (Prisons) NRK Reddy said.

For random sampling in other jails where there is no case so far, the official said a decision would be taken tomorrow in a meeting with home department officials.

We would take a call on sampling in other jails tomorrow in a meeting, he said.

He said after a lockdown was announced in March, separate/isolation arrangements for new entrants were made in all the jails. A new entrant is kept in the new ward before shifting to regular wards after a period of 14-21 days.

Only during that time we found anyone suspicious or with symptoms; we used to refer him to hospital for check up, he said.

In Jaipur district jail, he informed, a prisoner who came into the jail in early April was the source of infection. He was asymptomatic when he was kept in isolation in initial days and later suffered from low BP and diarrhoea. He was tested for COVID-19 and the report came positive on May 9.

In the meantime, the jail superintendent and a few other inmates got infected.

The cases in Jaipur district jail spiked on Saturday when 119 prisoners tested positive. On Sunday, 14 prisoners (12 from central jail and two from district jail) tested positive for the virus.

So far, more than 140 prisoners (maximum from district jail) have tested positive for the virus in Jaipur.

After the prisoners tested positive, the jail department decided to shift new prisoners -- who come to Jaipur, Alwar and Sawaimadhopur jails -- to Dausa jail temporarily.

Dausa jail has been vacated and the inmates and staff were sent to another jail in Dausa to create room for the new prisoners coming from Jaipur, Alwar and Sawaimadhopur.

The officer said that 156 prisoners in the state have been released on parole, parole of 21 prisoners was extended and 11 prisoners have been released from jails after remission of sentence.

(PTI)