Hyderabad: A recent Right to Information (RTI) inquiry filed by city-based activist Kareem Ansari has brought to light that 82 pregnant women have been held in Telangana jails since 2018, with one reported death in 2019.
According to the response received from the prisons department on the RTI application dated October 10, 2023, it was disclosed that pregnant inmates receive medical care at the Government Maternity Hospital, overseen by a medical officer.
Additionally, psychologists from the Institute of Mental Health visit the prison on a fortnightly basis to provide mental health support.
Addressing concerns about nutrition, the department assured that pregnant prisoners are supplied with a balanced diet, including bread, eggs, bananas, and milk. The disclosure also indicated that an undertrial prisoner passed away at the Central Prison in Sangareddy on October 22, 2019.
Reacting to the revelations, Ansari highlighted the need for a gynecologist to be stationed in the central prison to address the challenges faced by these women.
He stressed that special care should be provided to undertrial women to prevent untoward incidents, particularly considering the potential complications that may arise during pregnancy.
