Justice Tashi visits Bhaderwah, Kishtwar jails; inspects facilities

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 14: Justice Tashi Rabstan, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and also Chairperson, Juvenile Justice Committee, accompanied by Sunit Gupta (Principal District and Sessions Judge, Bhaderwah), Amit Kumar Gupta (Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority) and Kameshwar Puri (Additional SP, Bhaderwah) today visited District Jail, Bhaderwah as well as Kishtwar to take stock of facilities being provided to the Jail inmates.
On his arrival at District Jail Bhaderwah, Justice Tashi was received by Superintendent of the Jail. Justice Tashi visited all the barracks in the Jail and found the same overcrowded. On enquiry, the Superintendent informed the Judge that the Jail has a capacity of about 150 persons whereas at present 187 inmates were lodged that include under trials, convicted prisoners and persons detained under PSA.
Justice Tashi also inspected the Computer Centre, Ration Store and Kitchen where the food for the jail inmates is prepared. He also had a virtual interaction with the Additional District Judge, Doda from the VC facility room in the Jail itself.
Later in the afternoon, Justice Tashi visited District Jail, Kishtwar where Superintendent Jail informed him that the Jail has a capacity of 68 persons, whereas almost 100 inmates were accommodated in the Jail.
Justice Tashi also visited Home for Children (Boys) namely “Palash”, “Place of Safety” at Hidyal (Kishtwar) and “Aashiana”–a SOS Home run by a private NGO and reviewed their functioning. He impressed upon the officers/officials of the Social Welfare Department to take personal initiative for the welfare of the children and not consider this as a 10 to 4 duty.
Thereafter, Justice Tashi instructed the authorities to promote sports and other co-curricular activities amongst these children besides promoting study culture and public speaking so that the children residing in the home can express themselves in a loud way.
Justice Tashi also visited “Place of Safety” created in terms of the Juvenile Justice Care & Protection of Children, Act where he interacted with two juveniles in conflict with law, out of whom, one was involved in offence u/s 302IPC while the other was facing inquiry for offences u/s 363, 376IPC.