Jail authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Tuesday suspended prisoners' meeting with their family members to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among jail inmates.
The order will come into effect from Wednesday and will remain in force till the situation improves, said Ahsan Reza, Director General of Prisoners and Correctional Services, Andhra Pradesh.
"In view of the prevailing situation all over the country due to spread of COVID-19, the Prisons Department of Andhra Pradesh is forced to suspend interviews/mulaqat with prisoners lodged in all the prisons of Andhra Pradesh with effect from March 18 till situation improves, to prevent the spread of this virus among our inmates," he said.
As a relief to prisoners, they may be allowed to speak to their families four times a week with telephone facility if there be any need, the official said.
Meanwhile, Telangana has also cancelled prisoners' interviews/mulaqats with visitors in all jails in the state.
Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Telangana, Rajiv Trivedi said it was precautionary measure to reduce movement and exposure of prisoners to ensure social distancing and for maintaining proper hygienic condition and safety of prisoners.
He requested family members, relatives and friends of prison inmates not to come to jail to meet them in person. "They may avail telephone facility and e-mulaqats to talk with inmates until lifting of the restrictions," a release said.
Meetings have been cancelled to ensure social distancing and for maintaining proper hygiene conditions, and for the safety of prisoners.
Telangana has reported five Covid-19 positive cases while Andhra Pradesh has one case.
In the latest case in Telangana, an Indonesian citizen tested positive for coronavirus and was kept in isolation at the government-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. He was part of the 10-member group from Indonesia, which had come to Karimnagar town for a religious meet. They, along with three Indians, were brought to Hyderabad and kept at Gandhi Hospital and contact tracing was underway, state Health Minister Eatala Rajender told reporters on Tuesday.
With IANS inputs