143. Escort of prisoners. (Section 3, Bengal Act II of 1866) (Section 9, Bengal Act IV of 1866). - (a) Escorts of prisoners to different places, such as, the Criminal Record Office, Divisional lock-up, Central lock-up or Court, shall not, as far as practicable, be done separately but together in a prison van sent from Lallbazar. The prison van will take them to different places and drop them with their escorts except when prisoners have to be taken to places outside the town and suburbs of Calcutta. They shall not be carried in public conveyances. The strength of the escort will depend on the number of prisoners and their nature.
(b)When a prisoner sent up for trial is known to be of desparate character or to have previously suffered from lunacy, the fact shall be reported separately to the Court Officers.(c)Prisoners arrested by the police for transmission to Magistrates, or to the scene of enquiry and also under-trial prisoners shall not be subjected to more restraint than is necessary to prevent their escape. It is hardly necessary to rope them while they are taken in thana trucks; handcuffing also would depend on the status and nature of the prisoners.(d)The Officer-in-charge shall see, as far as possible that prisoners in transit are properly fed and treated.(e)In no case shall women or juvenile offenders be handcuffed, nor shall restraint be used to those who either by age or infirmity can easily and securely be kept in custody. Witnesses arrested under section 171 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), in an area to which that section applies shall, in no circumstances be handcuffed.(f)In bailable cases prisoners shall not be handcuffed unless violent and then only by the order of the Officer-in-charge of the police station, the reason for the necessity of this action being entered in the general diary.(g)In non-bailable cases the amount of restraint necessary must be left to the discretion of the officer concerned. In certain circumstances the use of handcuffs may not be necessary to prevent escape but, if for instance, the prisoner is a powerful man in custody for a crime of violence, or is of notorious antecedents, or disposed to give trouble, or if the journey is long, or the number of prisoners is large, handcuffs may properly be used. Escorts should in any case be supplied with handcuffs for use, should necessity arise.(h)In the case of two prisoners whom it necessary to handcuff they will be handcuffed in couples - the right wrist of one to the left wrist of the other. In no circumstances should more than two prisoners be secured together.(i)In all cases in which the use of handcuffs is allowed and considered necessary and when no proper handcuffs are available, the prisoners may be secured by rope or pieces of clothing. These shall be so tied as not to interfere unduly with proper circulation, and shall be replaced by handcuffs as soon as possible.(j)Great caution shall be exorcised at all times in the removal of handcuffs and other fastenings from prisoners en route whether by land or water.(k)Handcuffs shall be kept in good order. If broken they shall be mended or replaced without delay.(l)Should there be a Head Constable in charge of a party of prisoners he must walk behind the prisoners and their escort and not in front of them.
