Kavre, November 9:

Inmates of the Kavre prison are craving for a breathing space. Though the D category prison can accommodate only 61 prisoners, 48 detainees and 51 prisoners have been kept here.

As many as 14 prisoners are being kept in a cell, which can accommodate only six prisoners, said the jailer, Megh Raj Ghimire. With doctors attending only to the inmates who take ill, medical services, such as medical check-ups, have become a luxury for other inmates, he added. According to him, the critically-ill prisoners are referred to the Bir Hospital and TU Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment.

Mentally-ill patients are kept here because Dhulikhel has a suitable weather. Presently, 12 mentally-ill prisoners have been kept in the jail.

A survey conducted by the CVICT in January 2005 found that the mentally-ill prisoners had not undergone medical check-ups for the last eight months. Besides, the mentally-ill prisoners create nuisance by fighting among themselves.

According to the INSEC representative, Bhoj Raj Timilsina, other prisoners had complained that they were detained with mentally-retarded prisoners if they created problems. The overcrowded prison can have a negative impact on the mental and emotional development of the prisoners.

The present-day prison, which is spread in three ropanis and eight annas of land, used to be a horse stable during the Rana regime.

The prison has 17 cells and a small library.