Surrounded by mammoth walls and a small doorway within a high gate, a police check post guards one of the largest jails in Mumbai: The Arthur Road Jail, also called the Mumbai Central Prison. In recent times the jail has come under public scrutiny for the inhuman conditions under which the prisoners are housed there.
Established in 1925, it has housed a number of high profile criminals including, in recent times, Dawood’s brother, Iqbal Kaskar and his aide Ejaz Pathan and men from the Chhota Rajan’s gang. This jail is now more than bursting to capacity with inmates. Initially built to accommodate 900, the jail presently houses about 3,500 inmates. ‘Amnesty International’ has received numerous reports of ill treatment of prisoners. According to these reports, guards have reportedly beaten and tortured inmates at the jail, and threatened reprisals if they complain to the authorities. The reports cite an incident that occurred on 19 June, 2000 when two of the inmates in an overcrowded cell apparently started fighting. Some of the prison officials reportedly attacked the prisoners in the cell indiscriminately with razors and wooden poles (lathis). There were 180 inmates in the cell, designed to hold 50. Some 40 inmates were injured, three suffering broken bones.
Overcrowding in the cells is another common complaint. T. A. Dokay, a constable at this jail says, “3,500 se 4,000 hazaar kaidi honge yaha par” [Around 3,500 to 4,000 inmates are there here]. He adds that no special facilities are provided for recreation. They are not allowed to play cards in the cell, but they can read books and write. They also have prayers in the morning and a person who guides them, popularly called ‘Guruji’. Most of the toilets and bathrooms have no doors. Inadequate food supplies and a strong ‘hafta’ system add to the woes of the prisoners, another insider pointed out.
For the ‘common’ accused, detention in Arthur Road is a nightmare. Inmates are provided meals twice a day, which typically consist of a single vegetable, chapattis and a bowl of rice. Ramzan Ali, whose nephew Mohammed Nazir has been in jail since three months says, “Chori ke ilzam mein fasa diya hai usko. Arre kya kahu uske ke bare mein. Haddiyo ka dhancha ban gaya hai woh. Agar pani hai to khana nahi aur agar khana hai to pani nahi hai” [He has been framed in a theft case. What shall I say? He has become a bag of bones. If there is water then there is no food and vice versa].
On my visit to the jail, I found some ‘dabbas’ lying in one corner; out of curiosity I asked about them. I came to know that they were for the convicts in the high security cell. I wonder how the convicts in the high security cell clandestinely manage to order ‘dabbas’ to supplement the food provided in the jail?
