Chennai: There has never been overcrowding in jails in Tamilnadu and over 6,000 inmates were granted bail recently to prevent coronavirus spread, bringing down the present strength to a little over half of the capacity, authorities said.

More than 6,000 inmates, a big chunk of them undertrails and remand prisoners, were released on bail from different prisons, they said.

As a result, the present strength of prisoners in 135 plus jails, including nine central and five special prisons for women, in the state is approximately 13,500 as against the authorised capacity of about 23,000, prison sources told PTI.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court in March directed all States and Union Territories to constitute high-level committees to consider releasing on parole or interim bail prisoners and undertrials for offences entailing up to seven-year jail term, to decongest prisons in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.