Justice Tashi Rabstan visits District Jail Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Bal Aashram Kishtwar

JAMMU, May 13: 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 on Saturday visited District Jail, Bhaderwah to take stock of facilities being provided to the Jail inmates.

On his arrival Justice Tashi was received by Superintendent, District Jail, Bhaderwah where after he visited all the barracks in the jail and found the same over crowded. On enquiry the Superintendent, informed the Justice Tashi that the said jail has a capacity of about 150 persons whereas, at present 187 inmates were lodged that include under trials, convicted prisoners and the persons detained under PSA. He further informed that many inmates were shifted to Bhaderwah jail from different Districts of UT of J&K. It was also brought to the notice of Justice Tashi that no permanent doctor has been posted in the jail despite a sanctioned post whereas a doctor has been deputed to visit jail on weekly basis.

During an interaction with the jail inmates some undertrial prisoners informed Justice Tashi that at the time of recording of statement of witnesses when they appear virtually in the case, they are not able to hear the statement of witness being recorded, upon which Justice Tashi issued on the spot directions to the Superintendent jail and Principal District Judge, Bhaderwah to ensure glitch free connectivity of the jail with the courts. Another issue, raised by the inmates, was with regard to the higher call rates of STD facility provided in the jail.

Justice Tashi appreciated and was more than satisfied on coming to know from the jail inmates that each one of them was being represented either by a Private Counsel or Panel/Legal Aid Defence Counsel in their respective cases. Subsequently, Justice Tashi also inspected the Computer Centre, Ration Store, 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, Justice Tashi visited District Jail, Kishtwar where he was received by Superintendent jail who informed the Judge that the jail has a capacity of 68 persons, whereas almost 100 inmates were accommodated in the said jail. The Superintendent also raised a concern about the acute shortage of manpower due to which the staff posted in the said jail is required to work beyond the specified time. It was also brought to the notice of Justice Tashi that the Medical Officer posted earlier in the said jail has been transferred without posting a substitute, so, the doctor deputed, visits the jail on weekly basis or is available on call.

Justice Tashi, accompanied by Manjeet Manhas, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kishtwar, Amit Kumar Gupta, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority, Dr.Devansh Yadav,Deputy Commissioner, Mahmud Anwar Alnasir, Chief Judicial Magistrate/ Principal Magistrate JJB, Rajinder Singh, Additional SP and Mansoor Ahmed, APP 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 the functioning of the said Homes and 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. He also urged them to take the cause of children as a mission because a noble work requires full dedication, initiative and zeal.

Justice Tashi impressed upon the DCPO and the warden to improve the diet of the inmates as they need balanced and nutritious diet. He further directed the said officers to promote information technology and its learning amongst the children to ensure that they remain abreast with the fast-moving society in this digital age.

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 Tashilauded the efforts of ‘Aashian’ shelter home and appreciated their efforts in bringing up children acquainting them with all the modern techniques.

Justice Tashi also visited “Place of Safety” createdin terms of the Juvenile Justice Care & Protection of Children, Act where heinteracted 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. Justice Tashi raised the concern of creating the “Place of Safety”in a building also housing the police post and directed the Member Secretary, JJC, to convene a meeting with the Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department, UT of J&K and Mission Director, Mission Vatsalya at an earliest possible as the “Place of Safety” created was dehors the basic spirit of the Act.

On this occasion, Justice Tashi was appraised by the Principal Magistrate JJB, Kishtwar that two meetings of all the stake holders in Mission Vatsalya and authorities connected to Juvenile Justice Board and its ancillary organizations have been held in the past, wherein this issue was brought to the notice of the concerned authorities, however, no response for housing such Juveniles has been received so far despite a lapse of almost five months. It was also brought to the notice of Justice Tashi that the building, presently housing Juvenile Justice Board, Kishtwar is a private building which is neither conducive nor suitable and is required to be shifted to a better place.