Telangana prisons see inmate surge

The Telangana Prisons Department recorded a total of 42,566 inmate admissions in 2025, marking an 11.8 per cent increase compared to 38,079 admissions in 2024, according to the department’s annual report. Of the total admissions in 2025, 5,856 were convicted prisoners, registering a sharp 81 per cent rise from 3,229 convicts in the previous year.

As per official figures, the inmate population comprised 39,693 men, 2,880 women, and 25 others. Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Soumya Mishra said the year witnessed a staggering 135 per cent increase in cybercrime-related arrests, with 1,675 men and 109 women detained under cyber offences.

There was also a significant surge in drunken driving cases, which rose by 150 per cent in 2025. As many as 2,833 persons were arrested for drunk driving, compared to 1,124 arrests in 2024.

During the year, 4,176 persons were booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, including 4,067 men and 109 women, while 7,040 accused were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, comprising 6,732 men and 308 women. Arrests for murder increased by 18 per cent, with 3,260 accused booked in 2025 against 2,754 in 2024.

Foreign national admissions declined during the year, with 74 foreign nationals held in 2025, compared to 107 in 2024.

Age-wise data showed that the majority of inmates were young adults, with 19,413 prisoners aged between 18 and 30, followed by 19,318 inmates in the 31–50 age group, and 3,835 prisoners above 51 years. The report noted that 40,090 inmates were first-time offenders, while 2,496 were repeat offenders.

Highlighting rehabilitation initiatives, Soumya Mishra said that under the ‘Thumb In – Sign Out’ programme, 108 inmates, including eight women, were enrolled in NIOS to appear for the Class 10 examination. Over 23,000 prisoners achieved literacy, while 28 inmates graduated with degrees through prison study centres in 2025.

Skill development remained a focus area, with 4,615 inmates trained in prison industries, agriculture, and allied activities. Of the 5,856 convict admissions, 79 per cent received skill training. The department also operates 32 fuel outlets in partnership with IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL, generating employment for inmates. More than`3 crore was paid as wages to prisoners during the year.

In judicial processes, 1,93,404 court productions were recorded in 2025, with nearly 70 per cent conducted via video conferencing, up from 56 per cent in 2024.

Mental health and reform initiatives included cognitive behaviour therapy for 936 inmates under the ‘Unnathi’ programme, and counselling for 624 women inmates at Chanchalguda Prison with support from Bhumika Women’s Collective. Over 60 inmates from nine prisons are undergoing Training of Trainers (TOT) programmes in psychotherapy.

The department also launched de-addiction centres, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, across several prisons including Cherlapally, Sangareddy, Nizamabad, and the Special Prison for Women in Hyderabad.

Standardisation of prison industries was introduced to ensure uniform quality of products. The 7th All India Prison Duty Meet, hosted in Hyderabad, saw participation from 24 States and Union Territories. Telangana Prisons secured the Overall Championship, an achievement appreciated by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.