For inmates, stay in this jail is a kick in the teeth

A dental camp conducted at the high-security Arthur Road prison on Thursday, by the state-run St George Hospital, revealed that out of around 2,500 inmates, 74 per cent have broken teeth, while 62 per cent also have at least a few teeth missing.

Doctors at St George Dental Hospital told The Asian Age that the inmates blamed the bad state of their teeth on frequent fights erupting among them inside the prison. Many other inmates’ teeth were missing, while several others had contracted gum diseases.

Dr Mansingh Pawar, the dean of the dental hospital, said, “We have been conducting weekly camps in which prisoners are examined for their dental ailments. We conducted our examinations and data revealed that, 74 per cent inmates have broken teeth, 62 per cent have teeth missing, 80 per cent have tooth decay and 75 per cent have gum disease.”

“When we asked the inmates for the reason behind the state of their teeth, they said they get tobacco inside the jail and also said frequent scuffles between them had resulted in broken and missing teeth,” added Dr Pawar.

However, additional DG (Prisons) B.K. Upadhyay ruled out scuffles between prisoners in the Arthur Road prison. “I do agree overcrowding is a problem, but we are coming up with two barracks, which will reduce the load. We have top-most security in the jail. I don’t think there would be any scuffle taking place as we keep a close watch on all prisoners. In the canteen, they get tobacco, so there is the use of tobacco inside the jail itself.”

Arthur Road jail, which houses some of India’s most wanted criminals and terrorists, is overcrowded. The jail has the capacity to house 800 prisoners, while around 2,500 are being kept inside. The overcrowding is affecting the health of prisoners. Toilets are not cleaned for days, and living in such close proximity to so many people has led to prisoners getting skin diseases, said an inmate charged with assault. While high-profile prisoners manage to get bigger space and better facilities “for a price”, others find it difficult to even stretch their legs at night in their stinking, cramped cells, he said.

Some of the high-profile inmates housed in the jail include LeT operative Abu Jundal and former deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal.