Assam jails near decongestion as hundreds of undertrials released on PR bonds
Inmate numbers have dropped sharply, easing pressure on major jails like Guwahati Central Jail and reflecting improved case disposal and conviction rates
Central Jail Guwahati (Photo - X)
Guwahati, Jan 11: Jails in Assam are close to shedding their long-standing 'overcrowded' tag following the release of hundreds of petty criminals across the State on personal recognizance (PR) bonds.
A recent statement from the Prisons Department said that all jails together are now overcrowded by only about 1200 inmates, compared to several thousand earlier. The combined capacity of jails in Assam is to lodge 10,400 inmates, while they are currently housing around 11,536 prisoners.
Of the six central jails in the State, three are already housing fewer inmates than their capacity. They include the central jails in Tezpur, Dibrugarh and Jorhat. The remaining central jails are expected to reach the desired level soon.
The Guwahati Central Jail, the largest in Assam, has seen the release of nearly 400 inmates in the last three months alone. Built to house 1,400 prisoners, the jail had been under severe strain in recent years.
In September 2025, the number of inmates stood at around 1,800, including 76 women. Of these, 1,406 men and 60 women were undertrials, while 305 men and 15 women were convicts. At one point in 2023-24, the population even touched the 2,000 mark, far beyond capacity.
The Supreme Court had directed the release of undertrial prisoners on PR bonds, even if they were unable to furnish local surety. In its ruling, the apex court observed: "No undertrial should be kept in custody merely for the reason of inability to furnish sure-ty. Release on personal bond must be considered to uphold fairness."
Officials say the releases have helped bring jails back to a more manageable level. "It has reduced pressure on facilities and staff, ending the immediate overcrowding status," one source said.
The overcrowding had worsened between 2023 and 2025, when a large number of arrests were made across the State, mostly under the NDPS Act and the POCSO Act.
This surge in arrests pushed the Guwahati Central Jail far beyond its sanctioned capacity, creating serious concerns about space and safety.
"De-crowding is somewhat proportionate to the number of cases registered. But releasing the petty criminals on PR bond is a welcome step," a senior Assam Police official said.
The number of cases registered with different police stations has gone down considerably from 1,33,239 in 2021 to just 43,748 in 2025.
"Of the total cases registered, chargesheets were filed in 81 per cent of them.
In addition, the conviction rate has also leapt from six per cent in 2021 to 26.38 per cent in 2025. The national average is 35 per cent."