768 life convicts appeal for early release

Seven hundred male and 68 female life convicts from the Central Prison in Bangalore have appealed to the Governor for mercy and early release from jail.

In a letter, which points out that there had been no premature release of prisoners since 2006, the convicts have claimed that most of them were from rural background, poor, belonged to scheduled caste/tribe and minority communities, and were sole bread winners of their families.

They have said due to prolonged and unexpected delay in the release of innocent prisoners, the frustration levels and mental agony among a majority of the prisoners had increased manifold. “This has led to some falling seriously ill and even deaths,” the  letter states.

The letter comes in the backdrop of the State government issuing a Government Order listing the criteria for the release of life-term prisoners on good behaviour in January. Later, the government also constituted Prison Advisory Boards for all the central jails in the State, based on whose recommendations the life convicts, who are not incarcerated for 22 serious crimes as listed by the government, can be released on good behaviour.