‘1 in 3 inmates test positive for drug abuse at time of admission’

Hyderabad: One in three inmates screened at the time of admission to Telangana prisons tested positive for drug abuse, prison officials said on the eve of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.Officials said the Nivrutti De-Addiction Centres, operating in four central prisons since mid-July 2025, screened 12,675 inmates, of whom 4,200 remand prisoners tested positive for drug abuse.DG (Prisons) Soumya Mishra said 4,100 inmates underwent counselling, followed by 1,150 follow-up sessions and 507 psychoeducation and group therapy sessions. Officials also conducted 317 awareness programmes and 550 post-release telephonic counselling interactions.Mishra launched the logo of the Nivrutti De-Addiction Centre on Thursday. The centres function at Chanchalguda, Cherlapalli, Nizamabad and Sangareddy central prisons, besides the Special Prison for Women in Hyderabad. Prison staff across the state also took an oath to strengthen the anti-drug campaign.