Indian Paradox: Condoms may be a crime

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Paradox: Condoms may be a crime

New Delhi, Jan 14: Sodomy does take place inside Tihar

jail, a top police official admitted on Monday but

said the jail could not become a party to the crime

by supplying condoms.

Speaking at a press conference, director-general

(prisons) Ajay Agrawal admitted that sodomy exists. “I

don’t deny that these kinds of activities take place

inside the jail complex. But that happens everywhere

in the world. What do you do about it? When such a

case comes to light, we take action against the person

and a proper criminal cash is registered by the local

police. Despite this the jail administration does not

allow condoms in Tihar.

“By supplying condoms we do not want to be a party to

the crime. The police cannot be seen aiding this

practice. We do not want to legalise it by supplying

condoms,” he said.

The director-general denied that the crime was

“prevalent” in the jail. “Just a few cases have come

to light. Over crowding of jails has discouraged

this,” said the director - general.

According to him, overcrowding of the jail barracks,

where at an average 150 people sleep together, had

helped, to an extent, prevent sodomy as if anybody

indulged in such an act there are hundreds who are

watching them.

The puritanical attitude of the jail administration

exposes Tihar inmates to a risk of contracting HIV

infection and sexually transmitted diseases. In the

year 2001, 12 inmates at the Tihar jail were suffering

from AIDS. At present, nine inmates had AIDS.

Mr. Agrawal said the problem faced by the jail

authorities stars when an inmate having AIDS refuses

to leave the jail premises.

Citing a case of an inmate infected with the disease,

Mr Agrawal said the inmate approached the Delhi High

Court and sought intervention in this regard.

The reason behind the inmates move, according to Mr

Agrawal was that free medicines were available in the

jail complex for victims.

However, even after getting the medicines, the inmate

had refused to leave as he was getting free medical

facilities inside the jail complex which were very

expensive outside the jail.

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Jagdish Harsh ( jharsh@... )

Director of Administration

François-Xavier Bagnoud (INDIA)( www.fxb.org )

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