BHUBANESWAR : In order to decongest jails in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, 16,789 prisoners including 150 convicts have been released by court orders between March 20 and July 28 in the State. "As directed by the High Powered Committee, under-trial review committees of all the districts having District Judges, Magistrates, SPs, DLSA Secretary and Jail Superintendents as members had made recommendations to decongest the jails," said DG Prisons and Director Correctional Services Santosh Upadhyay.
On March 23, the Supreme Court had directed the states and UTs to constitute High Powered Committees to decide release of prisoners on interim bail or parole during the pandemic. The maximum number of 5,184 UTPs and 47 convicts were released from Berhampur Circle Jail followed by 3,697 UTPs and 19 convicts from Sambalpur, 3,434 UTPs and 31 convicts from Choudwar, 2,718 UTPs and 15 convicts from Baripada and 1,606 UTPs and 38 convicts from Koraput.