Potential for conflict: District jail may be shifted from Poojappura

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are indications that the government will soon take a decision on the recommendation of the Prison Department to avoid the possibility of political conflict in Poojappura jail and adjust the number of prisoners.

The recommendation is to shift the district jail to Attakulangara as before. The female prisoners of Attakulangara will be housed in a special block for female prisoners in Poojappura. The Attakulangara women's jail, which has a capacity of 500, has only 50 female prisoners. Until 2011, the female prisoners were in a special block in the Poojappura central jail.

The female prisoners were shifted to Attakulangara when Alexander Jacob was the jail superintendent following a petition that female prisoners should be able to work independently and meet their relatives when they arrive. The prisoners who were in the Neyyattinkara women's jail were also shifted to Attakulangara. Whereas the male prisoners of Attakkulangara were transferred to Poojappura Jail that day.

Opposition from women employees

There is strong opposition from the women prison employees to the transfer from Attakkulangara Jail to Poojappura. Attakkulangara has spacious facilities. They would have to go to a small block in Poojappura. Their stance is that the transfer of the prison should only happen after adequate facilities are provided in Poojappura jail.

Renovation work in the women's block is underway in Attakkulangara. The women's block in Poojappura is now a chappathi manufacturing unit.