Chandigarh:, Sept. 9 -- Flagging a "serious malaise" within Punjab's correctional facilities, the high court on Tuesday expressed concern over a state prisons department report revealing an 83% surge in inmates who developed drug dependencies after being incarcerated.

The division bench of chief justice A K Mishra observed that the number had grown "almost four-five times" compared with those already registered for treatment when they entered prison.

The report was submitted earlier this month that showed a total of 35,449 inmates are lodged in these prisons, of whom 15,678 are registered with OOAT clinics as on August 21. This accounted for 83% prisoners getting into it after lodging into jails, amicus curaie in the case had flagged. ...