Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented a written reply in the Odisha Assembly regarding prisoner escapes and custodial incidents across the state.
He reported that since July last year, 13 prisoners escaped from nine different jails. Police managed to recapture six of them, while the search continues for the remaining fugitives.
The Chief Minister also highlighted serious concerns about custodial deaths. Over the past year, 31 undertrial prisoners died inside jails. Among them, eight died by suicide.
In addition, Majhi informed the Assembly that 39 accused escaped from police custody during the same period. These incidents underline challenges in prison management and custodial security across Odisha.
Majhi assured legislators that the government is reviewing prison safety measures and strengthening monitoring systems to prevent further escapes and custodial lapses. He emphasised that reforms remain a priority to safeguard prisoner rights and ensure accountability in the correctional system.
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