year

Click here for our in-depth coverage of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections #ElectionsWithTheHindu

Data | Overcrowded jails and the COVID-19 contagion

At least 2,191 inmates infected across prisons in the country

Updated - July 29, 2020 12:31 pm IST

Published - July 29, 2020 11:18 am IST

Naresh Singaravelu

This file photo taken on November 8, 2005 shows inmates sitting in their cell at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

This file photo taken on November 8, 2005 shows inmates sitting in their cell at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

Prisons in India registered the highest occupancy rate in five years in 2018 (latest available data).

Prisons in Uttar Pradesh were the most overcrowded, while Sikkim registered the highest relative increase in inmate population since 2014.

Data from newspaper reports also show that the number of prisoners found to be COVID-19 positive (at least 2,191 such inmates) was higher in prisons in States with high occupancy rates.

Infected jails

The table depicts the number of inmates found positive for COVID-19 in a select list of jails*.

Chart appears incomplete? Click to remove AMP mode.

Occupancy rate

The chart depicts the occupancy rate (%) (inmate population/capacity) of prisons in India between 2014 and 2018. For a sanctioned capacity of 100 inmates, jails in India had 118 prisoners in 2018.

State of affairs

The chart plots the occupancy rate of prisons in 2018 against its change from 2014 across States. Each circle depicts a State. While prisons in Uttar Pradesh were the most overcrowded in 2018, jails in 18 States (red circles) had exceeded their capacity.

Also read: Editorial | Cramped prisons: On need for decongestion

Source: Prison statistics of India

*Note: The number of inmates who have tested positive is a conservative estimate based on information collated from The Hindu news reports and reports from news agencies such as PTI and ANI .

Series - 71 stories

A health worker performs a trial run of the COVID-19 vaccine delivery system in New Delhi.

Data | What is the COVID-19 vaccine policy of countries across the world?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A man walks past a poster amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manchester, Britain. File.

Data | U.K. variant of the novel coronavirus spreads at least 50% faster than old variants

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Sumant Sen,Naresh Singaravelu

A medical worker administers a test for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at a pop-up testing site in Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S.

Data | U.S. bears the brunt of global COVID-19 deaths in December; Delhi, W.B. and Punjab record spurt in fatalities

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A health worker at a COVID-19 ward in a hospital in Bathalapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Photo for representational purposes only.

Data | How India fared in various COVID-19 parameters since March, compared with other countries

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

File photo of a medical team conducting COVID-19 test in East Godavari district.

Data | India's COVID-19 testing declines sharply despite rising positivity rate

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Mask-clad commuters travelling in a ferry in Kochi, Kerala.

From 0 new COVID-19 cases to 10,000 in six months: dissecting Kerala's second wave

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

A health worker takes a sample to test for COVID-19 at a market in New Delhi on November 19, 2020. India’s confirmed coronavirus caseload surpassed 9 million on November 19, 2020, as authorities in New Delhi battle to slow down the surge of infections in the city by increasing testing.

Data | COVID-19 infections continue to grow at a constant pace in India

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

People wait in a queue to register their names to have their nasal swab samples taken to test for COVID-19 in Jammu.

Data | Lower COVID-19 fatality rate in rural areas not necessarily due to lower share of co-morbidities among rural population

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Illustration: Kannan Sundar

The Hindu Explains | Is COVID-19 intensifying in rural India?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Health workers at a dry run for administering COVID-19 vaccine at a community centre in Gandhinagar. VIJAY SONEJI Vijay Soneji

Data | What's afoot on the COVID-19 vaccine front?

Naresh Singaravelu

Tragic deaths: The house of a COVID-19 patient at Narayanakhed being sanitised on Thursday. Mohd Arif

Data | COVID-19 deaths in India are rising third fastest in the world

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A medical staff takes the throat swab of Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy in the Legislative Assembly committee hall, after a legislator tested positive for COVID-19, in Puducherry on Monday.

Puducherry's pandemic trajectory shows the need for more testing

Pon Vasanth B.A

A health worker collects a swab from a person during a coronavirus test from a mobile facility, at Sri Ram Nagar, Yousufguda in Hyderabad on Monday.

Data | India's COVID-19 cases are the fastest growing in the world

Naresh Singaravelu

Committed to care: Frontline workers inspect samples after rapid antigen tests in Kolkata on Friday.

Data | Less reliable rapid antigen tests ramped up in many States

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A doctor wearing a protective gear takes a swab from a man to test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. File

Coronavirus | In contrast to initial stages, districts now push tally in Tamil Nadu

Pon Vasanth B.A

Indians evacuated from the Maldives as part of Operation Samudra Setu under the Vande Bharat Mission undergo temperature tests as they come out of INS-Jalashwa at Kochi port on Sunday.

Data | COVID-19 resurges in Kerala as migrants return, testing rate drops

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

This file photo taken on November 8, 2005 shows inmates sitting in their cell at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

Data | Overcrowded jails and the COVID-19 contagion

Naresh Singaravelu

You're in this story

A health worker screens people for COVID-19 symptoms at Dharavi, in Mumbai on July 6, 2020.

Data | Among nations with a high case load, infections continue to double in less than 20 days only in India

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

**EDS: RPT (CORRECTS DETAILS)** Chennai: A health worker collects a sample of a specially-abled patient at Institute of Mental Health for COVID-19 test, in Chennai, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (PTI Photo)(PTI04-07-2020_000119A)

Understanding Chennai’s COVID-19 trend

Pon Vasanth B.A

Health workers at a testing centre in Sir C.V. Raman General Hospital in Bengaluru. File

Data | How do States fare on reporting COVID-19 data?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A health worker carries medical waste for disposal at Calcutta Medical College Hospital. File

Data | Not just Mumbai and Chennai, COVID-19 cases are starting to swell in Cooch Behar and Ayodhya too

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A health worker collecting a sample for COVID-19 testing, in Bengaluru. File

Data | Major uptick in COVID-19 cases in the past week and it's not just the usual suspects

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Relatives wearing protective gear tie up the dead body of a victim who died from the coronavirus before the burial at a graveyard in New Delhi on May 10, 2020.

Data | Coronavirus deaths increasing significantly in several States

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

In this Oct. 31, 2019 photo, the word violence is pasted onto a wall by a group of women in a dark street in Paris to draw attention to domestic violence. Picture for representational purposes only.

Data | Domestic violence complaints at a 10-year high during COVID-19 lockdown

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Health workers attending to people arriving for COVID-19 tests at a hospital in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh

Data | A study of India's coronavirus cases: symptoms to secondary transmission

The Hindu Data Team

A merchant selling personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks at a store in Bengaluru. File

Data | Karnataka, Telangana, A.P. see sharp spike in COVID-19 cases; burden easing in Delhi

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Medical staff applaud as six patients were discharged from the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, in Karad, Maharashtra on May 8, 2020.

Data | COVID-19 has affected higher share of men in India, difference relatively lesser in other countries

The Hindu Data Team

Migrant daily wage laborers walk with their belongings in Jammu on May 2, 2020.

Data | An estimated 12.2 crore Indians lost their jobs during the coronavirus lockdown in April: CMIE

The Hindu Data Team

Punjab Police officials keeps vigil at a deserted marketplace in the wake of continued curfew in place at Chunni Kalan market in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab on April 30 2020.

Data | Sudden spike in cases results in fastest COVID-19 doubling rate in Punjab in the past week

The Hindu Data Team

A lorry driver being screened by a health-care worker at Inchivila on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border on Monday.

Data | States which tested more in the initial days of the coronavirus outbreak found it easier to contain the spread

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Densely populated: An aerial view of Dharavi, which has reported close to 190 cases so far.

Data | Why handwashing and physical distancing are a privilege to the poor

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Migrant workers, students, and others waiting to board KSRTC buses at Majestic bus stand in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Data | Migrant workers' distress continues as nationwide lockdown extended for the second time

The Hindu Data Team

A group of patients being discharged on recovery from a COVID-designated hospital in Ongole.

Data | The variable impact of the novel coronavirus across different countries

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Healthcare workers enter a residential area in Mumbai on April 20, 2020.

Data | A State-wise comparison of coronavirus infection doubling rates and testing

Srinivasan Ramani,Naresh Singaravelu

Workers spray disinfectant at Kozhikode bus stand.

Data | Kerala flattens the coronavirus curve but must remain vigilant as 'import' cases still dominate

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Artists paints coronavirus at a deserted road at Grant road on April 11, 2020. The painting is an initiative of Municipal corporation.

Data | Why has Mumbai seen the most coronavirus cases in Maharashtra?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A staffer walking at a quarantine ward of Nehru Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital in New Delhi on March 16, 2020. Image for representational purposes.

Data | Where are the coronavirus hotspots in India?

The Hindu Data Team

Workers are left with no jobs due to lockdown imposed in view of coronavirus, at Benz Circle in Vijayawada.

Data | The lockdown effect on jobs in India

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

An awareness doll put up at a market in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai on April 11.

Data | How quickly are coronavirus infections and deaths increasing in India, compared to the rest of the world?

The Hindu Data Team

Migrant workers from UP and Bihar at a government school in Azampura, where distribution of 12 kg rice and ₹500 per person is taken up by the Revenue officials, in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Data | 96% migrant workers did not get rations from the government, 90% did not receive wages during lockdown: survey

The Hindu Data Team

Health officials bidding goodbye to a patient who recovered from COVID-19 and leaving the District Hospital in Kerala's Palakkad on Wednesday.

Data | How fast are India's coronavirus cases doubling since the lockdown?

Srinivasan Ramani,Naresh Singaravelu

A health worker testing using the antibody-based rapid test kits at a centre in Chennai on April 19, 2020. (Representational image)

Data | Who gets tested for coronavirus determines infection rates better than how many are

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Image for representation purpose.

Data | How many doctors and nurses have tested positive for coronavirus in India?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Government doctors return after checking on a patient at their residence in Chennai on April 24.

Data | India's coronavirus infection rates are among the highest in Asia

Naresh Singaravelu

People stand in queue for the COVID-19 test at a private diagnostic centre in Kandivali, Mumbai on April 27, 2020.

Data | From 129 to 430 districts in a month: how coronavirus cases are spreading thick and fast

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A man takes his mother to a hospital in a wheelchair on Thursday due to lack of transport in Mumbai.

COVID-19 | Under which zone does your district lie?

Srinivasan Ramani,Naresh Singaravelu

Stranded people being screened at Chennai Central before boarding the Shramik Special to Manipur on May 10.

Data | In the battle against COVID-19, severity of lockdown matters less than testing rates

Srinivasan Ramani,Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Healthcare workers in Mumbai in April 2020.

Data | Are States testing enough compared to the size of their coronavirus outbreaks?

The Hindu Data Team

Relatives mourn the death of of a COVID-19 victim as ambulance drivers prepare to perform last rites at Dadar electric crematorium.

Data | Is India undercounting its COVID-19 deaths?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A health official (left) collecting sample for a swab test from a mobile testing van in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on April 27, 2020.

Data | The curious case of Gujarat's COVID-19 curve: remained flat throughout May

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A medic collects samples of a pregnant woman for COVID-19 testing at a kiosk outside Chitaguppi hospital in Hubballi on Thursday. PTI

Data | Why is it necessary to test more to reduce the impact of COVID-19?

Srinivasan Ramani,Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A health worker checks the temperature of a vegetable vendor during the lockdown as a precautionary measure at Pudupet temporary market, in Chennai on June 26, 2020.

Data | The path to 5 lakh coronavirus cases: infections, fatalities spiralling; testing rate consistently coming down

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

55 people (18%) died within the first day of hospitalisation in Chennai.

Data | Most COVID-19 deaths occurred within two days of hospital admission in Chennai, Karnataka

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

COVID-19 out patient ward at Government Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai on Tuesday.

Data | India's COVID-19 situation worst among Asian countries

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A woman walks past an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm in Tokyo. File

Data | Japan's limited testing strategy for coronavirus does not yield in the long run

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

A doctor uses a thermal-screening device on a police officer in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Data | Which States recorded the most coronavirus cases, deaths, and the best testing rates?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Photo for representation. Migrant workers along with their family members set forth to their their villages on foot, at Lal Quarter Bus Stand in New Delhi, on March 29, 2020.

Data | To reduce coronavirus spread, India needs to test more, lockdown notwithstanding

Vignesh Radhakrishnan,Naresh Singaravelu

Migrant labourers from Bengal are stuck in shanties in New Delhi’s Vishwas Nagar for nearly a week since the Janta Curfew was announced.

Data | Who are the most vulnerable to the lockdown among urban dwellers

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Spaced out Customers await their turn at specified distances to prevent the spread of COVID-19, at a grocery shop in Salem. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Specialarrangement

Coronavirus | Patient data from Singapore and South Korea shows physical distancing is the only option

Vignesh Radhakrishnan, Srravya C.

Going the extra mile: The BMC order states that floor beds or sharing of beds will not be allowed and one-metre distance will be maintained between them.

Data | How prepared are India's States in health infrastructure to tackle COVID-19

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Kochi/ Kerala, 16/03/2020: Workers from other States wait to return home at Ernakulam Junction railway station, following the Covid 19 situation and fall in demand for manual jobs. Photo:H. Vibhu/The Hindu.

Data | Kerala leads States in testing for coronavirus, Maharashtra in infections

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Workers disinfect streets of Amritsar in the wake of coronavirus pandemic on March 21, 2020.

Data | Where does India stand on the coronavirus curve?

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

A medical worker checkiing a patient at a temporary hospital set for for COVID-19 coronavirus patients in Wuhan on March 5, 2020.

Data | COVID-19 is deadliest for the elderly

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Passengers wearing protective masks arrive at the international airport in Mumbai.

Data | 5,680 flights cancelled: the coronavirus impact on global air travel

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

People wearing protective masks walk through Florence as Italy battles a coronavirus outbreak, in Florence, Italy, March 7, 2020.

Data | Coronavirus death rates peak in Italy and Spain

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Passengers undergo a thermal screening test in the wake of novel coronavirus scare at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, Monday, March 9, 2020.

Data | India's coronavirus testing rates are among the lowest in the world

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Pump jacks draw crude oil from the Long Beach Oil Field in Signal Hill, California. Picture for representation.

Data | Govt. rarely passes on the benefit of falling crude oil price to consumers

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

The Disaster Response Force teams of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation wearing protective gear and spray disinfectant chemical at medical shop amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus, in Hyderabad on March 23, 2020.

COVID-19 | Interactive map of confirmed coronavirus cases in India

A stockbroker reacts as he watches the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) index on a trading terminal in Mumbai, India, Monday, March 9, 2020.

Data | Where does the March 9 market crash rank among the biggest falls in Sensex history?

Naresh Singaravelu

A policeman and pedestrians wear masks to help guard against the Coronavirus, in downtown Tehran, Iran. File

Data | Is COVID-19 spreading faster outside mainland China?

Naresh Singaravelu, Srravya C.

People wear face masks in Sanlitun shopping district in Beijing on January 25, 2020.

Data | The wide, rapid spread of the novel coronavirus

Vignesh Radhakrishnan

Top News Today

0 / 0

Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!

Access 10 free stories every month
Save stories to read later
Access to comment on every story
Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.