Fourteen inmates of the Women’s Jail, Attakulangara here, will now onwards have a new life. On Monday, they were shifted to the Open Prison for Women, the first of its kind in South India - a two-storeyed traditional style building in a charming ambiance with trees and plants around, located behind the Central Prison at Poojappura.
They are the first inmates to be accommodated in the Open Prison, the second such facility in India after the Yerwada jail in Maharashtra. “Though the Yerwada jail is the first open prison for women, it is not functioning fully. The inmates of that prison are shifted to the district jail at night. Therefore, the open prison here is the first fully functioning one in India,” said DGP (Prisons) Alexander Jacob.
Though inaugurated last October, the Open Prison had not started functioning so far as the renovation of the building set apart for it was not completed. As the work on the building located on two acres in the compound of the special sub jail Poojappura would take time, the Open Prison for the time being has been set up at the quarters of the Central Prison superintendent. “At present, the superintendent’s quarters have been made the Open Prison. The renovation of the building for the Open Prison for Women will be completed in two months, after which the facility will be shifted there. Also, a new quarters for the Central Prison superintendent is under construction,” said Alexander Jacob.
At present, 14 inmates of the Women’s Jail have been shifted to the Open Prison. “Those who had undergone at least three years of imprisonment and displayed good conduct have been shifted to the Open Prison. Two out of the 14 prisoners are out on parole and they will be accommodated in the Open Prison once their parole period is over,” said DIG Prisons (South) B Pradeep.
At the Open Prison, the inmates have beds to sleep on and an attached bathroom. They will cook the food for themselves. “Their work here is nurturing the vegetable garden,” said superintendent, Women’s Jail, A Nazeera Beevi.
“While in other jails, the wage is as low as Rs 12 to Rs 14 per day, in the Open Prison it is Rs 117 per day and the inmates are eligible for leave frequently, while in other jails leave is sanctioned on strict conditions,” said prison officials.
