486 undertrials released from two prisons in Salem

Salem: A total of 486 undertrials were released at the annual prison adalats held in prisons in the two towns, police said.

In Salem, 455 undertrials, arrested for petty offences, were released from Central prison and a fine of Rs 1.96 lakh collected from them, a District Legal Services Secretary K Mani said.

The adalat comprised Principal District Judge K Rajasekaran, Chief Judicial Magistrates of Salem and Dharmapuri districts and conducted its proceedings at the Central prison, he said.

At the Palyamkottai central prison 31 undertrails were released.

A total of 550 cases were looked into by the Adalat, comprising prison superintendent Kanagaraj and five Judges.

Officials said such adalats are held annually in Tamil Nadu. The central prison here had more inmates than it could handle and the adalat might lighten the problem of over crowding, they said.