KANNUR: As Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, the walls of Kannur Central Jail quietly echo the memories of a dark chapter in the nation’s history. Like many prisons across the country, the Kannur Central Prison too housed numerous individuals who were detained back then without them ever fully knowing the reasons behind their arrest.
It was not uncommon for many inmates to be crammed into a single hall, enduring unbearable conditions. Political leaders, activists, and common citizens alike faced immense hardship behind bars, often struggling just to secure the most basic of facilities.
A police officer with the Kannur Central Prison and Correction Home said that 385 people were imprisoned during the Emergency, declared in 1975, and released in 1977.
Now, the prison authorities are in the process of establishing a museum that will showcase artefacts and information related to significant historical moments, including the Emergency period, the Malabar Rebellion, and other notable events connected to the history of the Kannur Central Prison.
“We are planning to open it as early as possible,” an officer said.
Among the prominent leaders imprisoned were Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, A Kanaran, V V Dakshinamoorthy, C Kannan, E K Nayanar, Pattiam Gopalan, M V Raghavan, and M P Veerendrakumar. In addition to them, naxalites such as Civic Chandran and Mandakini Narayanan were also detained.
People from Kannur and Kasaragod districts were detained in the Kannur Central Prison at the time.
The current Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, was jailed there while he was serving as the Kuthuparamba MLA. He had written to the special secretary with the home department, on November 9, 1976, demanding parole.
Govinda Varma Raja, 69, from Payyanur, was imprisoned at the age of 18 while he was a student at the Payyanur College for participating in a protest held on the campus against the Emergency.
He was moved to the central prison after staging a protest at a sub-jail in Kasaragod.
‘MY MOTHER IS UNWELL’
KANNUR: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a legislator then, was among the many political leaders detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency. In 1975, while serving as the Kuthuparamba MLA, he was imprisoned in the Kannur Central Prison for his opposition to the regime. Amid his incarceration, Pinarayi wrote a heartfelt letter to the special secretary with the home department, requesting parole. His appeal was rooted in a personal concern, as his mother was critical and his presence was urgently needed to support her during treatment. The letter reflected not only the personal toll of the Emergency but also the resilience of a leader who would later rise to lead the state.
The detainees
Among the prominent leaders imprisoned at Kannur Centrral Jail during Emergency were Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, A Kanaran, V V Dakshinamoorthy, C Kannan, E K Nayanar, Pattiam Gopalan, M V Raghavan, and M P Veerendrakumar. In addition to them, naxalites such as Civic Chandran and Mandakini Narayanan were also detained. People from Kannur and Kasaragod districts were detained in the jail.