In 2021, more than 30% of Indian prisons were Muslim, even though the community’s share in the population is only 14.2%
In 2021, more than 30% of Indian prisons were Muslim, even though the community’s share in the population is only 14.2%
In 2021, more than 30% of all detainees Indian prisons were Muslim, even though the community’s share in the population is only 14.2% (as of 2011). There are four types of prisoners in Indian prisons – criminals (persons found guilty of a crime and sentenced by the court), Pending Pending (currently on trial in court), prisoners (persons held legally in custody), and those who do not belong to any of these three categories and comprise a small part of the total number of prisoners. Notably, in Assam, 61% of convicts and 49% of undertrials were Muslims, while the community’s population share in the state was 34%. Among the states with relatively high numbers of prisoners, the share of Muslim prisoners was much higher than the proportion of population in the Union Territories of Gujarat, UP, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
share of muslims
The chart shows % of Muslims, % of Muslim convicts, % of Muslim undertrials in India in 2011 and % of Muslims in Indian jails till 2021.
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part of hindus
The chart shows % of Hindus, % of Hindu convicts, % of Hindu undertrials in India in 2011 and % of Hindu prisoners held in Indian jails by 2021.
State wise share of Muslims
The chart shows % of Muslims (black circle), % of Muslim convicts (yellow), % of Muslim undertrials (pink) and % of Muslim prisoners (blue) in jails across states in 2011. 2021. While the share of Muslim prisoners was high in many states, the total number of prisoners (numbers given in parentheses) was higher in only a few. Therefore, the share should be read with total custody.
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The total number of prisoners was relatively higher in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, UP, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland. Of these, the Muslim share was much higher than the proportion of the population in the Union Territories of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
Maharashtra did not allow breakup on the basis of religion for prisoners and undertrials. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were not considered as population division was not available.
Source: Prison Statistics of India