Over 30% of detainees in Indian prisons are Muslims, double their share in population

In 2021, over 30% of all detenues in Indian prisons were Muslims even though the community’s share in the population is only 14.2%

In 2021, over 30% of all detenues in Indian prisons were Muslims even though the community’s share in the population is only 14.2% (as of 2011). Indian jails host four types of prisoners — convicts (persons found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court), undertrials (currently on trial in a court of law), detenues (persons held lawfully in custody), and those who do not belong to any of these three categories and who comprise a small share of the total number of prisoners. Notably, in Assam, 61% of the convicts and 49% of the undertrials were Muslims, while the population share of the community in the State was 34%. Among States with a relatively high number of detainees, the share of Muslim detainees was notably disproportationate to the population share in Gujarat, U.P., Haryana and J&K U.T.

The chart shows the % of Muslims in the total population in India in 2011, the % of Muslim convicts, the % of Muslim undertrials and the % of Muslim detenues in Indian prisons as of 2021.

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The chart shows the % of Hindus of the total population in India in 2011, the % of Hindu convicts, the % of Hindu undertrials and the % of Hindu detenues in Indian prisons as of 2021.

The chart shows the % of Muslims in the total population in 2011 (black circle), the % of Muslim convicts (yellow), the % of Muslim undertrials (pink) and the % of Muslim detenues (blue) in prisons across States as of 2021. While the share of Muslim detenues was high in many States, the number of total detenues (number given in brackets) was higher only in some. So, the share has to be read along with the total detentions.

The total number of detainees was relatively high in J&K U.T., U.P., Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland. Of these the Muslim share was notably disproportionate to the population share in Gujarat, U.P., Haryana and J&K U.T. Maharashtra did not provide religious break-up of detainees.

Source: Prison Statistics of India