New Delhi, April 1 -- Delhi's prisons, home to some of the most high-profile criminals, are facing a severe crisis of overcrowding, with inmate numbers nearly doubling their capacity. In replies to two separate questions in the Delhi Assembly, Delhi Government's Home Department Minister Ashish Sood said that the Capital's 16 jails, designed to house 10,000 inmates, currently accommodate around 19,000 prisoners, creating significant challenges in monitoring and management.
This crisis persists despite the release of over a thousand under-trial inmates in 2023. The most striking example of overcrowding is seen in Tihar Jail, where, as of March 2025, Jail number one held 2,436 inmates against its capacity of just 565.
Similarly, Jail number ...