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Kathmandu Monday April 02, 2001 Chaitra 20, 2057.
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Children languishing in jail with their mothers
Post Report
HETAUDA, April 1 - Sani Kanchhi Praja (Chepang) has been detained in
Bhimphedi jail for the last six months after she was remanded into custody, but
unfortunately her 18-month-old daughter is also sharing her days in the cell without any
of her faults.
She even does not know that she is in jail. There is also another girl child
in the jail.
Sun rays hardly enter into the female ward of Bhimphedi jail, which is
located about 23 kilometres north-east of Hetauda. The girls wake up there, play there and
go to sleep in loving arm of their mothers. However, the condition of the inmates is
extremely miserable and highly unsuitable for children.
The female ward can accommodate only four inmates but seven women and two
children have been crammed into the room. There is no room for the inmates even to sleep
properly. The ward stinks so much that outsiders spontaneously happen to cover their nose
if they happen to talk with inmates in the door.
"My husband does not like to take care of my daughter in the village. If
I keep her with me here, I am unable to meet the expenses. She used to walk in the
village, but now she is unable to walk. In the absence of sun’s rays she has turned
pale," Kanchhi Praja said.
Dr Ram Lakhan Shah of Hetauda Hospital said the authorities should pay
attention to proper sanitation in the ward to protect health of small children.
Kanchhi Praja has been remanded into custody when a 60-year-old man died
after being pushed by her following his attempt to molest her.
Similarly, Bibi Maya Titung of Dhipal VDC-5 is also in jail on murder charge.
She also has a nine-month-old daughter with her. Her husband, Prem Bahadur Titung, is also
in Bhimphedi jail, male ward. They have been jailed on a murder charge of their
sister-in-law (brother’s wife) alleging that she was a witch. Bibi Maya also says the
environment is not suitable for nursing her daughter in the jail.
Another inmate, Sita Adhikari, who is languishing in jail on drug-trafficking
charges said she was ill for many days but she has no money to buy medicines.
There is a legal provision to provide 100 grams of rice and 5 rupees to a
child in jail, Jailor Dev Raj Adhikari said.
Adhikari admitted that all male and female inmates were finding it difficult
to sleep due to lack of space. He also said female prisoners had also requested to run
literacy class for them. This facility is so far being enjoyed by male inmates only.
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