CHENNAI: A total of 136 prisoners were released from TN prisons as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, in commemoration 75th anniversary of India's independence from August 2022 till now. Of the 136 convict prisoners released in the last one year, 16 walked out of the various prisons in TN on Friday.

Based on guidelines issued by the Government of India, TN home department has issued guidelines for grant of special remission to specific categories of convict prisoners. The prisoners were released in four phases from August 15 last year.

In phase one on last year's independence day 20 convicts were released. In the second phase as many as 82 convicts were released, while in the third phase on August 15 this year 19 were released. In the fourth phase 15 inmates were allowed to walk free on Friday, a prison official said.

The prisoners, who were released on the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav are not convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment and not involved in heinous crimes such as terrorist activities, dowry death, rape, human trafficking, POCSO, counterfeiting of currency notes and smuggling of narcotics drugs etc.

The released prisoners include physically challenged, terminally ill persons and poor inmates who had completed their term but detained in the prison because non-payment of fine imposed on them, among others.