NBMCH to have a prisoners' cell soon

SANKHA GHOSH SNS, SILIGURI, 19 MAY 2022: A prisoners' cell with approximately 15 beds is all set to come up at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri.

Prisoners, who need medical treatment or admission, are often taken to the NBMCH from the correctional home. While presently male inmates are kept in a room under the monitoring of armed policemen, women are admitted in the general ward for women with guards. The treatment of male inmates is also done in the general ward with other patients, whenever necessary. Sources at the NBMCH said the existing room has six beds.

The PWVD is coming out the construction work for the new facility near the medicine ward with funds sanctioned by the correctional services department before the Covid-19 situation.

"The civil work has been completed. It would have been readied this month, but during an inspection, officers of the correctional services in April had asked us to change some designs after identifying some technical errors in slow of the security aspects.

Therefore, the work is on with the revised plan," the sources said.

NBMCH superintendent Dr Sanjay Mark confirmed the construction of the prison cell. "The work is underway," Dr Mallik said.

According to the plan, the dedicated cell will have at least 15 beds.

"In the new plan, at least 60 percent beds will be allotted to male inmates, and the remaining 40 percent to females. The number of female inmates at the NBMCH is usually low. There will be two rooms for male--one will be for inmates who have been booked on serious charges," sources said.

The plan to set up such a cell gained momentum after an under-trial, Manik Barman, a resident of Sitalkunchi in Cooch Behar district, had escaped after he managed to give an policeman the slip from the male medicine ward of the NBMCH on 11 May,2014. A murder case under-trial, Silas Darnal, had also tried to flee on 24 July in the same year, but the locals caught him and handed him over to the police.

In another incident, a Greater Cooch Behar People's Association activist. Upen Barman, a resident of Mathabhanga of CoochBehar district, had been killed by an accused of murder case in the same cell on May, 2016.

Around five-six police personnel guard the existing cell led by an officer. A police out post is located under the Matigara police station on the NBMCH premises.

Officials of the Siliguri Special Correctional Home revamping of the NBMCH cell had been a long pending issue.

"It is the need of the hour to have a separate facility for the inmates," said an official.