Prison Statistics 2013: Muslims continue to overpopulate jails in India

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By IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 29 Oct 2014: Muslims constitute around 14% of India’s population. However, their share of jail population has been far more for last several years. The latest official report on prison population, released today, reveals that Muslims constitute 19% of prisoners in jails across the country – 17.1% of convicts and 21% of undertrials.

As per Prison Statistics India – 2013 report prepared and released by National Crime Records Bureau, a constituent of the Union Home Ministry, there were 1,29,608 convicts in jails by the end of December 2013. While 72% of them (93273) were Hindus, 17.1% (22,145) were Muslims. Of 2,78,503 undertrials, Hindus were 69% (1,92,202) and Muslims 21% (57,936).
Profile of Prison Inmates in India – 2013

Religion & Caste

Convicts
%
Undertrials
%
Others
%
Total
1,29,608

2,78,503

768

Hindu
93,273
72.0%
1,92,202
69.0%
368
48.0%
Muslims
22,145
17.1%
57,936
21.0%
392
51.0%

Castes

General
43,855
33.8%
99,748
35.8%

OBC
41,446
32.0%
87,848
31.5%

SC
29,130
22.5%
59,326
21.3%

ST
15,177
11.7%
31,581
11.3%

Source: Prison Statistics India – 2013

In 2012 also, the religion-wise break-up was almost same with Muslims 17.8% of convicts and 21.0% of undertrials.

As for education of prisoners, more than 28% of convicts are illiterate while 43% below Class X. They have about similar share among undertrials.

Education

Convicts
%
Undertrials
%
Others

Total
1,29,608

2,78,503

768

Illiterate
36,507
28.2%
80,393
28.9%
357

Below Class X
55,746
43.0%
1,17,373
42.1%
344

Top states

Uttar Pradesh
8,615

Madhya
Pradesh
4,645

Punjab
2,489

Source: Prison Statistics India – 2013

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