Muslims made up nearly 30% of all inmates in Indian prisons in 2021 despite having a population ratio of only 14.2%, according to disturbing figures released by the Prison Statistics of India.
Muslims made up 61% of Assam’s inmates who had been convicted and 49% of those who were still awaiting trial, compared to 34% in the northeast, The Hindu reported.
Muslims made up a disproportionate number of detainees in states like Gujarat, the U.P., Haryana, and the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory compared to their share of the population.
According to many publications on jail statistics, Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits (Scheduled Castes), and Adivasis (Scheduled Tribes) are overrepresented compared to their proportions in the population as per the 2011 census.
Maharashtra did not divide detainees and those awaiting trial by faith. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were not taken into account because the population divide was unavailable.
Source: Prison Statistics of India
