Constitute committee to recommend security arrangements for COVID-19 prisoners at health facilities: CM

COVID-19 positive cases have been reported from seven out of the 31 jails so far. Sonowal also reviewed the steps taken for setting up a separate COVID Care Centre at Guwahati Central Jail and asked the Principal Secretary, Health, Sameer Sinha to expeditiously implement the same.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday directed officials to constitute a committee in each district to study and recommend measures to strengthen security arrangements at health facilities where prisoners testing positive for COVID-19 are being treated. The chief minister in a meeting with senior officials directed the Home department to set up a three-member committee in each district comprising an Additional Deputy Commissioner, Additional Superintendent of Police and Superintendent of Jail, an official release said.

He also directed the officials to take expeditious measures for the implementation of the recommendations of the committees in the districts. The meeting was held a day after a group of COVID-19 positive prisoners of Guwahati Central Jail attempted to escape on Friday from the Sonapur District Hospital where they are undergoing treatment.

Their attempt was thwarted by security forces deployed at the hospital where security has been further tightened. COVID-19 positive cases have been reported from seven out of the 31 jails so far.

Sonowal also reviewed the steps taken for setting up a separate COVID Care Centre at Guwahati Central Jail and asked the Principal Secretary, Health, Sameer Sinha, to expeditiously implement the same. Sinha informed the chief minister about the jail inmates who have tested COVID-19 positive and the steps taken for their treatment.

The Inspector-General of Prisons apprised the chief minister about the security arrangements being made for jail inmates. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta, Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Home Department Jishnu Baruah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Lohiya and ADGP (Law and Order) G P Singh, among others.