HYDERABAD: Telangana prisons recorded 42,566 admissions in 2025, marking an 11.8% increase compared to the previous year, with sharp rises seen in cybercrime and drunk driving cases.
Releasing the annual report of the Prisons department on Monday, Director General (DG) of Prisons Soumya Mishra said prison admissions increased across all crime categories. Cybercrime cases saw the steepest rise, with admissions jumping 135% to 1,784 in 2025 from 757 in 2024. Drunk driving cases rose by 152% over the same period.
Other categories also registered increases: POCSO cases by 11.36%, NDPS cases by 11.6%, extremist-related cases by 11.6%, murder cases by 18.3%, property offences by 4.19% and crimes against women by 5.23%. Of the total admissions, 7,040 were linked to NDPS cases.
The DG said the majority of inmates were first-time offenders. Of the 42,566 admissions, 40,090 were first-timers, while 2,496 were repeat or habitual offenders. Among women inmates too, first-time offenders increased marginally from 2,764 in 2024 to 2,867 in 2025. Foreign national admissions declined from 107 last year to 74 in 2025.
Legal aid services in prisons were strengthened in coordination with state and district legal services authorities. At present, 155 legal aid panel advocates and 47 paralegal volunteers are working in Telangana prisons. During the year, 6,573 prisoners availed legal aid, leading to the release of 3,634 inmates.
Mishra said Telangana is the only state to provide interest-free loans to prison inmates. During the year, loans totalling `18.66 lakh were sanctioned to 58 prisoners. The government also granted parole to 301 prisoners for 30 days to attend to domestic exigencies, while 218 inmates were granted furlough as a reward for good conduct.
On healthcare, 17 pregnant women prisoners were assisted with safe deliveries at government maternity hospitals. A total of 379 surgeries were facilitated, including 86 eye, 169 ear, 81 nose, 20 hernia, five appendicitis and 18 heart surgeries. Under the Unnathi programme, 936 prisoners underwent cognitive behaviour therapy, while 624 women inmates received individual and group counselling.
The DG said the Siddipet District Jail has been constructed and, once inaugurated, will accommodate 415 prisoners. Designed as a high-security facility, its Swastika cell layout is expected to significantly enhance security.
The department also established NIVRUTTI de-addiction centres at the Special Prison for Women in Hyderabad and central prisons at Hyderabad, Cherlapalli, Sangareddy and Nizamabad. During the year, 2,915 inmates were identified with symptoms of substance use, of whom 590 received counselling, therapy and treatment.