Bhopal News: Nearly 965 Inmates Died In Jails Over Past Seven Years

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 965 inmates in prisons across the state died behind bars over the past seven years, including 42 by suicide and 923 due to various ailments.

Those familiar with the matter said overcrowded prisons, lack of proper medical treatment and delays in shifting seriously ill inmates to hospitals were among the key reasons for the deaths.

In no year from 2019 to 2025 did the number of deaths in prisons fall below 125, with 2021, when the Covid pandemic was at its peak, recording the highest toll at 160. Of these, 151 prisoners died of what was officially described as natural causes and nine died by suicide.

Senior officials responsible for prison administration said the jail department could not be solely blamed for the deaths. They said the entire criminal justice system, including the police, prosecution and courts, contributed to the situation.

Overcrowding in jails is primarily due to undertrials, who account for nearly 60% of the prison population. Police, officials said, often make arrests even when not necessary.

"There is no need to arrest the accused in cases where the maximum punishment is imprisonment for seven years. But police routinely and mechanically arrest people even in petty cases," said Rajiv Tandon, a former Special DG and former chairperson of the MP Human Rights Commission.

Officials said courts often deny bail on technical grounds such as non-submission of case diaries or absence of prosecution counsel. Prosecutors, too, show little urgency in expediting the bail process.

Prisons also lack adequate medical facilities. Even central jails have only skeletal medical staff, resulting in delays in treatment for ailing inmates. In cases of serious illness, prisoners can be shifted to hospitals, but jail authorities depend on police for escorts.

"Police routinely deny guards to escort prisoners to hospitals, citing manpower shortages," a senior official said.