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From overcrowding and structural issues to recent security lapses, the 65-year-old Tihar Jail complex is bursting at the seams. This has prompted the Delhi Prisons department to consider shifting all inmates to Narela, where the capital’s fourth jail is coming up, or to Outer Delhi where another prison is being planned, it is learnt.
Among Delhi’s Central Jails, Tihar houses gangsters, politicians and even VIPs. As per officers, it was started in 1958 with a capacity to house 1,273 prisoners. While the current capacity of the complex is estimated at 5,000-6,000, it houses over twice the strength at over 13,000 inmates.
Officers said the complex is small and structurally not fit to lodge so many inmates and meet security needs. This has led to several gang wars, murders, prisoners escaping besides health issues in jail.
Last month, gangster Tillu Tajpuriya was killed allegedly by four rival inmates inside the jail — they used improvised weapons to stab the former at least 90-100 times. More than eight jail guards, including Tamil Nadu Special Force officials, were suspended.
In view of these lapses, several high-level meetings were held with senior Delhi government officials, CISF and TNSF.
A jail officer said, “We feel there is a need to upgrade Tihar. We have tried to decongest it earlier by shifting inmates to Rohini and Mandoli jails but that didn’t help much. The building is very old and doesn’t match with current technology needs.”
“We are in talks to look at a new prison complex which will be twice or thrice the size of Tihar and can house 15,000-18,000 inmates easily. However, the process of building a new jail and emptying Tihar won’t be easy,” added the officer.
The over 300-acre Tihar complex comprises nine jails and is manned by over 2,500 personnel.
However, the “school-like” structure of prison areas and open spaces inside the prison, as well as easy accessibility from residential and public roads, has constantly posed challenges for jail officers in ensuring security.
“It is very easy to throw illegal objects into the jail. Between December and January, we recovered more than 350 phones. The open spaces allow inmates to make and exchange weapons and use phones. Though several jammers are in place, nothing works,” said officers, adding that alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar and gangsters from Tillu and Gogi gangs have been caught using phones several times.
“The watch towers which were built post-1960 have not been upgraded. We also face issues in installing electric jammers, AI systems or barriers at the prison. We are now planning to shift the entire jail to Narela or Outer Delhi,” added another officer.
As a “temporary measure”, officers said net covers are being installed in open spaces inside Tihar Jail to curb smuggling of items and other illegal activities.
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