Eight staff members of Taloja jail test Covid-19 positive

3 inmates and one Taloja jail staffer have died of COVID so far. File pic

The novel Coronavirus has entered Taloja Central Prison where, sources said, eight officials have tested positive. Inmates have been dealing with symptoms and have been fearful of contracting the infection.

Highly placed sources revealed that triple murder case convict Vijay Palande and a close friend of Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, Amit Chandole, jailed in connection with a money laundering case, are symptomatic. "A number of prisoners have fallen sick. They have symptoms such as fever and mild cough but they haven't been tested as the jail superintendent believes that it will create panic. Around eight prison staffers tested positive," a prison official told mid-day. However, Superintendent Kaustubh Kurlekar said only three staffers are positive.

Probe ordered

The source said the inmates want to be in isolation or go to a hospital for a check-up. "The jail superintendent refused permission." An enquiry has been ordered to find how the infection happened. "It was the jail superintendent's responsibility to take precautions," said the source. A three-member committee including Senior Justice AA Sayed, Principal Secretary (home) Anand Limaye and ADG (Prisons) Sunil Ramanand will discuss decongesting Taloja jail on Friday, said a source at Mantralay. "A plan will be made and submitted before the Bombay High Court which is taking suo motu hearings on the Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra jails," said the prison source. There are chances of the superintendent facing action for the sudden spike and a death on May 5. Sources in the prisons department said that Kurlekar was transferred to Washim District Prison in January due to alleged mismanagement at Taloja prison but he challenged the order in the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT). MAT stayed the transfer.

Crowding problem

During a hearing in April, the state government told HC that there are 35,000 inmates across 47 jails. Their capacity is around 23,000. So far, seven prisoners and eight staff have died of Covid-19 in the state, including two prisoners and one staff in Taloja jail, a government report states. "One of the deceased prisoners was unwell for a long time but he was not given treatment on time," the prison official said. A 22-year-old under trial in a POCSO case, Vishal Dasari, succumbed to Covid-19 on May 5 while undergoing treatment at St Georges hospital. The prison source said, "Dasari had been complaining of breathlessness and high fever for a long time but he was sent to the hospital late." Kurlekar said, "Taloja jail's capacity is 2,124, but there are 3,122 prisoners lodged here. At present, only three staff have tested positive."

How did virus spread?

Sources said, "When a new prisoner comes, his RT-PCR test is conducted but the report generally comes after four days. During this period, the prisoner is kept at the police station where he might develop mild symptoms or contract the virus from someone else. But if the report is negative, he enters jail. He might also get it from the staff who go out for various tasks." ADG Ramanand said, "We have been ensuring that all prisoners remain safe. In an emergency, we ensure they get a hospital bed. We must also understand that resources are stretched in the pandemic."

2,124
Capacity of Taloja jail