Nepal

Kanchanpur prison houses over four times more prisoners

KathmanduPati April 15, 2021

File Photo

KANCHANPUR – Kanchanpur prison is housing over four times more prisoners against its actual capacity. Currently it has 414 jailbirds against its actual capacity of 95. Established 45 years ago, the prison is in a dilapidated condition. However, plea of the prison administration for repair of the old buildings to the center has not been heard so far.

A prison security platoon led by an inspector and first-aid management are required at the prison, said Superintendent of Police Uma Prasad Chaturbedi.”There is a situation wherein 10 police personnel have to guard five prisoners while taking them elsewhere on purpose. The prison has neither a safe van nor an additional workforce,” he said.

Without proper management of accommodation, the inmates are forced to live under tents, said jailor Maya Basnet Thapa.”As a result, we have written to the center to transfer four inmates at the prison to Dhangadhi and some other to Dang. At least 200 prisoners here should be transferred to elsewhere. Our calls to the center for reconstruction of prison buildings and its management have yet to be heard,” she said.