19,670 occupying space meant for 10,026 people

New Delhi: A total of 319 inmates across Delhi prisons have tested positive for Covid-19, out of which five have succumbed to the deadly virus up till May 3, the Director General (Prisons) informed a High Powered Committee on

Tuesday.

DG (Prisons) Sandeep Goel, while recommending ways to decongest the jails in view of the second wave of the pandemic, told the HPC that out of the 319 prison inmates who had contracted Covid-19, 65 have recovered, five have passed away while 249 are active cases.

Similarly, among prison staff, 135 had contracted the virus, out of which eight have recovered and 127 are active cases.

The prison director also told the committee that while the optimum holding capacity of Delhi Prisons is 10,026, as of May 3, as many as 19,679 inmates are currently lodged, "which is much beyond the holding capacity".