“Despite the presence of world-class medical facilities provided in the jail to the prisoners, the persistent shortage of medical staff especially clinical psychologists tops as one of the major reasons behind the increase in number of suicidal deaths in Tihar Jail,” said a highly-place source. The jail complex consists of nine jails which houses more than 13,000 inmates.
“The jail works relentlessly towards the rehabilitation of under trial prisoners. Right from providing them the best of medical care and counselling sessions by well trained clinical psychologists, coupled with initiatives like yoga and rejuvenating workshops. However, what goes through a criminal’s mind is always hard to decipher and little is done to curb the emotional disturbances of the inmates,” said a Tihar official.
“We can only convince the prisoners to attend a counselling session but it takes time for us to convince them to open up. Methods vary from group counselling sessions to individual sessions depending on the individual prisoner’s personality type. Ultimately, the decision to get enrolled in the session is their own,” said Shubhra Sanyal, a criminal psychologist and a professor at Amity University.
“Throughout the jail complex, each ward is assigned to two to three full time doctors, five to seven part time doctors and scores of consultants and paramedical staff working round-the-clock while a few doctors are even called from prominent health care institutes like AIIMS. The core issue of healthcare especially psychological healthcare suffers loopholes like glaring shortage of staff,” confirmed officials at Tihar Jail.
According to Delhi Police sources, two suicides were reported in 2015 while in 2016 till March 16 already two suicides have been reported.
“The cause of suicidal deaths ranges from depression to non-adjustment for first-time offenders in the new atmosphere inside the jail premises. While there are prisoners who in their initial days suffer from insomnia and adjustment problems, hardened criminals go on and befriend fellow inmates,” said a senior Delhi Police official.
On Wednesday, a 33-year-old Armyman, Lance Naik Vinod Kumar, who was lodged in Tihar Jail, took his life after reportedly being depressed over his wife’s suicide and his getting falsely implicated in a case pertaining to dowry harassment and abetment to his wife’s suicide.