A first in Uttar Pradesh: Children park opened at Moradabad jail

In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Uttar Pradesh, a children park was opened on the premises of the Moradabad jail on Thursday following the state government’s directive that such parks be opened in all 75 prisons of the state for augmenting physical and mental strength of minors living with their incarcerated mothers.

Moradabad Jail Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma said, “The kids living in the prisons have not committed any crime. They have no option but to stay with their undertrial or convicted mothers. The concept of children parks has been introduced by the government to ensure that they may boost mental and physical strength through various activities in parks.”

Nearly 450 children live with their jailed mothers in state’s prisons. Currently, the number of inmates in UP’s prisons is 1.24 lakh, including 6,000 women.

In view of overcrowding at UP jails, the state government has decided to open ten new prisons in and started the process of releasing inmates who have been jailed for travelling in trains without ticket or other petty crimes but they have no money to pay penalties. Jails Minister Dharamveer Prajapati said, “Of the ten proposed jails in the state, the one at Etawah is complete and will be functional soon. We have also released 136 prisoners lodged in jails for petty crimes.