Undertrial Prisoners in India: Victims of Long Incarceration

Prison has always been a place for the reformation of the convict. In short, the whole purpose of the prison system is to punish those who have committed a crime. It was never meant to be a place to keep the undertrial population, however, it can be seen that more than 70% of the prisoner population in India is undertrial prisoner population. The struggling fight of undertrial prisoners in India can be seen for years now. However, not much attention is given to the miserable state of undertrial prisoners in India. There are many reasons behind the increasing number of undertrials, but one of the main reasons behind it remains delay in conducting trials or providing justice to them. It can in a way be said that justice for undertrials comes only after they have paid the price of being punished and imprisoned, even without being declared as convicted. This injustice that the undertrial prisoners have to go through is a shame on the justice system of our country. Martin Luther King had stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” It thus becomes extremely important that more focus is now laid on reducing the plight of undertrial prisoners in India.