Chandigarh, May 15 (IANS) The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognisance of alarming findings reflected in the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) ‘Prison Statistics India – 2024’ and sought a report on custodial suicides and prison violence in the state.

The NCRB has treated the increasing incidents of suicides, unnatural deaths, prison violence, mental health crisis, overcrowding and inadequate psychological support systems in Haryana prisons as a grave human rights concern.

A Bench comprising Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra (Retd) and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia passed a detailed order seeking explanations and reports from senior state authorities.

The commission observed that prisoners and undertrial inmates cannot be deprived of their constitutional rights to live with dignity, health protection and mental healthcare guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, merely because they are incarcerated.

According to the news report placed before the commission, Haryana recorded 15 unnatural inmate deaths in 2024, and all such deaths were attributed to suicide.

The report further disclosed that Haryana was the only state in the country to record firearm-related violent clashes inside prison premises.

Serious concerns regarding mental stress, depression, withdrawal-related issues, violent clashes, overcrowding and lack of adequate counseling facilities in prisons were also highlighted.

In its order, the commission observed that custodial institutions are under constitutional obligation to protect inmates from self-harm, mental trauma, violence, depression and social isolation.

It further emphasised that incidents of custodial suicides can substantially be prevented through timely psychological intervention, regular counselling, psychiatric supervision, emotional rehabilitation, grievance redressal mechanisms, family support systems and de-addiction treatment.

The commission specifically referred to Rules 299 and 300 of the Haryana Prison Rules, 2022, which contain safeguards relating to suicide prevention and monitoring of inmates with suicidal tendencies.

Rule 299 mandates strict precautions to ensure that articles such as knives and other tools used in workshops, barber shops, tailoring sections, kitchens and canteens capable of being used for suicide or violence are not left accessible within prison premises and further requires secure handling of tools and poisonous substances.

Rule 300 further provides that prisoners exhibiting suicidal tendencies must be kept under careful watch should not be left alone and must be referred to counselor for psychological support and emotional rehabilitation.

The commission also recalled that during previous inspections conducted in various jails of Haryana, particularly the District Jail Kurukshetra, women inmates had disclosed that psychologists and social counsellors visited the jail premises only once a month.

At that stage, the commission had stressed the need for weekly visits by psychologists and psychiatrists.

Necessary directions had also been issued to the Civil Surgeon of Kurukshetra and the prison administration to strengthen counselling mechanism and to involve psychology students in inmate interaction and emotional rehabilitation programmes.

The Commission has directed the Additional Chief Secretaries of Home and Jails Department and Health and Family Welfare Department, the Director General Health Services and the Director General of Prisons to submit their reports at least one week prior to the next date of hearing on August 13.

–IANS

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