NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

WINTER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME, 2018

REPORT OF TIHAR CENTAL JAIL VISIT ON THURSDAY, JANUARY

10, 2018

Submitted by:
NAME: MEBANJOP SUN
INSTITUTION: NORTH EASTERN HILL UNIVERSITY, SHILLONG
COURSE: B.A.LLB (HONS), 4th Year
STATE: MGHALAYA

Submitted to: DR. SANJAY DUBEY,

DIRECTOR (ADMN.),
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I Mebanjop Sun, student of North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, wish to

express my profound and sincere gratitude to Pankaj Kumar Sir, Senior Research Officer,
National Human Rights Commission, for arranging our visit to the Tihar Central Jail, Delhi,
for the purpose of understanding the Jail organization and its functioning. I am also thankful
to the Superintendent, Tihar Central Jail, for making us understand the things in a much
practical way.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF THE VISIT

LODGING OF PRISONERS IN TIHAR JAIL

PERSONAL OBSERVATION

SUGGESTION

CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION

Jail is a correctional institution used to detain person who are in lawful custody of the
state. It includes both under trial and convicts. It is a place or an institution where the accused
is kept isolated from the society and family in unpleasout condition. It is the most important
component of the criminal justice system which lead to rehabilitation of the prisoners. The
system of imprisonment represents a curious combination on different objectives of
punishment. It varies from degree of offence modern concept of jail imprisonment is based
on reformation, rehabilitation and correction. The prisons now a days are styled as a
correctional institution rather than as an institution for punishment. This is because with the
evolution of the society and the increasing importance of human rights we have moved into
an era of reformation from the era of retribution.

The main objective of prison is to convert the inmates into ordinary members of the
society by providing them with useful skills, education and respect for the law. It aims to
improve the inmates’ self esteem and strengthen their desire to improve. To engage,
rehabilitate and reform its inmates,

To provide minimum standard of living treatment to the prisoners remanded to

judicial custody and at the same time to reform rehabilitees them by involving them in
various vocational, spiritual, educational activities so that they become useful citizen of the
country after their release.

PURPOSE OF THE VISIT

The main objectives for going to the field work in the above-mentioned institution as
followed:
1. To study the role of Jail Authorities in treatment of prisoners in the framework of
rehabilitative and reformative activities given to the prisoners.
2. To study the infrastructure provided by the jail authorities to the prisoners.
3. To study the services and opportunities provided to the inmates by the jail
authorities.
4. To study the security system of the jail premises.
5. The responsibilities of the jail authorities towards the prisoners.
LODGING OF PRISONERS IN TIHAR JAIL
There are 9 jails in Tihar jail. There is a different jail for different types of prisoners.
So the lodging of prisoners in Tihar by different types of prisoners are given below.

Jail No. Prisoners

Jail No. 1 Prisoners of Tis Hazari Courts.

Jail No. 2 Convicts.

Jail No. 3 Prisoners of Patiala House Courts (R & Salphabets).

Prisoners of Rohini Courts (R & Salphabets).

Jail No. 4 Prisoners of Patiala House Courts (Except R & S)

Jail No. 5 Adolescent Prisoners (18-21 years).

Jail No. 6 Female prisoners.

Jail No. 7 Preventive Detention & Railways prisoners.

Jail No. 8 & 9 Prisoners of Karkardooma Court.

We departed from the NHRC premises at 10:00 AM and reached the jail premises by
11:00 AM. After reaching there, we went inside the premises of jail and there we have gone
through the formalities like punching of jail stamp in hand and checking procedures. After
going through all the formalities, we met with the one of the Superintendent of the Jail who
guided us and showed us around. All the female visitors from our group had to go to go to
Jail no. 6 and we went to Jail no. 5.

After we were served Lunch, all of us went to Jail no. 2 where all the convicts are
kept. There, again we had to go trough hand stamping and a detailed security check. Jail no. 5
had a total population of 970 inmates.

PERSONAL OBSERVATION

1) Meditation hall – For cleansing and disciplining mind, Yoga and meditation classes
were started in a big way with the help of various voluntary organizations. Staff
members are also encouraged, to attend meditation courses. This has helped many
prisoners in changing the whole approach to life.
2) Educational Facilities & Vocational training - Both adult and formal education
arrangements have been made for prisoners. Educational activities are looked after
with the help of Government resources. Computer training centers are also working in
the Prisons for imparting computer education to the prisoners. The most important
aspect of the education system in Tihar Jail is that educated prisoners voluntarily
teach less educated prisoners. An illiterate person landing in Tihar Jail can look
forward to being literate if his stay is more than a week.

3) Weaving – This section initially established for manufacture of cloth for Staff
Uniform, Convict Uniform, cotton durries etc. It has now started manufacturing
different type of cloths. The training classes for convicts also start on these machines.

4) Carpentry- This is the largest section of the Jail Factory with a work force of
approximately 350 workers. This section also trains convicts in the finer works of
carving and carpentry, making furniture for sale to the general public. At present this
unit is producing various types of office furniture.

5) Tailoring - This unit was primarily started for imparting vocational training to
convicts for post release rehabilitation. This section caters to tailoring requirements of
prisoners and Jail staff uniform. Effective quality control measure with rigid scrutiny
of efficiency has led to remarkable increase in the turnover of this unit.
6) Chemical unit - Soap, Phenyl manufacture and Oil Expelling are the basic functions
of this unit. Mustard Oil of the finest quality is produced in the section. Unit was
initially started for production of in-house consumption of these items, but at present
the same is available for open sale to the public at much lower rates then the market.
By-product of Oil like Oil Cake or Khul of this unit is sold in the open market through
open auction.
7) Bakery - Tihar Baking School basically caters to bread requirements for morning
tea/Breakfast of approximately 12,000 inmates on any given day. Tihar Factory
produces very delicious Biscuits and Namkeens on demand. With the introduction of
modern technology, this unit has now started manufacturing varieties of biscuits,
cakes, namkeen etc. These products are not only available for sale through Dry
Canteens of various Jails but are also supplied to various Government departments.
8) Paper unit - This unit, where inmates are trained in the art of hand made paper,
converting it to various items. This unit supplies stationary items to various Govt.
 Departments i.e. Delhi High Court, various District Courts of Delhi, Department of
Education and Ministry of Environment etc. Old Government files and paper from
various departments are recycled in this unit.
9) Free legal AID cell – Legal Aid Cells exist in every Jail. Majority of prisoners belong
to economically poor class and are not in a position to avail the services of expensive
lawyers.
10) Creative Art Therapy - Creative Art Therapy, which is psycho-therapeutic in nature,
is used in several settings. In respect to prison setting, the therapy serves as a
reformatory process in several ways. Therefore, by encouraging and promoting
Creative Art, the individual is able to release his pent up emotions and realize his
worth as 'self' having a positive desire of improving himself both consciously and
unconsciously.
11) Recreational Facilities - The prisoner's participation in games and sports activities
within the prisons took a big jump with the organization of inter-ward and inter-jail
competitions twice a year for the last over five years. In all the prisons various sports
are organized during winter sports festivals, which are popularly known in the jail as
"Tihar Olympics".
12) Security Equipments - Tihar Prisons is having modern security gadgets for detecting
prohibited articles possessed by prisoners/ visitors at all access points. All the watch
towers are equipped with flood lights and the open areas are covered with High Mast
flood lights for illumination and security during night hours.
13) Closed Circuit Television System - Prison Administration has strengthened its
security and surveillance on the activities of prisoners as well as prison staff by
installing closed circuit television system in all the prisons. Each jail has a CCTV
control room for watching the activities and a state of the art Control Room has been
setup in the Prison Headquarters. The activities can be recorded for seven days after
which backup are taken.
14) Food, Clothing and Bedding - Inmates are provided diet as approved by the Govt. of
National Capital Territory of Delhi. Special food is provided on the days of National
importance and Festivals. Convicts are provided with clothing as per norms of Delhi
Jails. Poor inmates are provided with free clothing as per the seasonal requirement.
All inmates are provided with seasonal bedding.
SUGGESTIONS.

1) Counsellors should be appointed at District Jail which can reduce the aggression of
the inmates by providing them counselling individually.
2) Compensation should be provided to the needy, poor, destitute and old-age prisoners.
3) Active involvement of NGOs, CSOs and other organization working towards the
betterment of the prison system in India and prisoners is required and should be
encouraged.
4) The infrastructural setup for religious and spiritual teachings needs to be tightened.
5) Criminologists, sociologists and psychologists should be appointed who can work
together in understanding the nature of crime and criminals, the behaviour of the
prisoners and their psychology so that more stress can be laid on their reformation and
social reintegration which is the primary purpose the prison system in India.
6) Adequate and quality food and sanitation facilities should be provided to the prisoners
because they are in prison not for the punishment as a punishment.
7) Training of prisoners along with their entertainment should be given due importance

CONCLUSION: Prisons are the most integral component of our penal structure. Thus, the
smooth functioning of our prisons is an essential perquisite to the efficient working of our
criminal justice system. It is our duty to ensure that our prisoners are treated with dignity and
respect, and not as outcastes who deserve to perish. Criminals are individuals from our
society and it is the State’s duty to reform them within our prison structures so that they can
be rehabilitated and reintegrated in our society.