LEH, OCT 8: The Prison Department, UT of Ladakh, organised a Mental Fitness Programme and Psychological Screening at District Jail Leh, focusing on the mental well-being of inmates and prison personnel and strengthening the institution’s rehabilitation-oriented approach.
The programme was conducted with the participation of officers and psychological research experts from Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Leh), who held awareness sessions on mental health, psychological well-being and the importance of maintaining a healthy and supportive environment within correctional institutions.
As part of the initiative, RRU experts carried out psychological screening of inmates to identify psychological and emotional concerns requiring attention. The exercise was followed by training and guidance for District Jail Leh officials on recognising signs of psychological distress and responding appropriately to inmates facing different mental and emotional challenges.
The initiative was aimed not only at identifying individual concerns but also at strengthening the capacity of prison staff to provide timely and appropriate support, thereby integrating mental-health care into the broader correctional and rehabilitation framework.
In his concluding remarks, SSP Prisons Zaheer Abbas Jafri urged inmates and prison staff to actively participate in yoga classes and encouraged inmates to make full use of various rehabilitation and correctional programmes being conducted by the Prison Department.
He emphasised that sustained participation in such initiatives can contribute to mental and physical well-being, behavioural rehabilitation and smoother reintegration of inmates into society following their release.
The programme reflects the Prison Department’s continuing focus on combining institutional discipline with psychological support, rehabilitation and corrective interventions aimed at preparing inmates for a constructive return to the community.
