LIFE IN ARTHUR ROAD PRISION (Exp: 26/07/07)

Police officers who took me to Arthur Road Jail after the judge asked me to be kept in judicial custody left the Arthur road jail after completing the procedure. THEN BEGAN THE JAIL LIFE.

I did not go in to the jail as a convicted person, but as Under Trial person, who is kept in a judicial custody, in a bailable case. BUT PRISON TREATE YOU ONLY AS A CRIMINAL EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE ONLY ACCUSED) 

(The charge upon me is 296 of IPC as the instruction was given by the Church Authorities and some pious Catholics.  WHEN I WENT TO THE JAIL I ALSO WANTED TO SEE THE 'LOVE', 'MERCY', 'CHARITY' AND THE 'LOVE OF ENEMIES' CHATHOLICS PREACH AND PROCALIM AS THEIR FIRST AND FORMOST SIMBALE OF THEIR FAITH.  I have never experienced this kind of things from any of the Catholic Church authorities before and I did not experience in this present events also.  Actually Church authorities using their influence had made my life in the prison harder.  Even though The Church and the Religious Order, to which I belong is suppose to be there with me "even if I am wrong", and was not there.  So, the "love of enemies etc., which church teaches to practice is simply does not exist at all.)

Now first they make you to take all your cloths to find out, whether you are carrying any weapons or other things.  You are given back you cloths and then you are made to sit on the road in pairs of two at least for one hour, till the entry procedure of all the incoming people (may be 30 to 40) are over ' these people come from different police stations and from different courts of Mumbai. 

After that all the new prisoners are taken to barrack number '3'.  (If you are a person with lot of money and influence, you will get a very good treatment).  If you do not have money or influence you will be shouted at for no reasons.   

When the police left me in the prison, I had only pants, shirt, under wears (T-shirt and brief), and a pair of slippers.  All other things were kept in police custody.

In barrack No. 3 we were made to sit on floor.  With me there were lot of roadside drug taking people, who were also arrested and brought in.  Time was around 5 pm.  After around one and half hour, Tea person came out of the barrack.  Many of the new people including me thought the tea is for all the people.  But that was tea, which was given only to people who have paid the money.  So, others and I were ridiculed for unnecessarily crowding near the entrance for no reason.  

Inside the Barrack, you will not see any police people.  The 'senior' criminals control the barrack.  These senior Criminals can beat you, push you around, make you sit wherever they want you to sit, they can move you around for no reason.  No body is there to question them, actually.  THAT IS ONE OF THE STRANGEST THING I HAVE SEEN IN THE PRISON.  Even thought the constitution and the policy of India is that, unless you are convicted you are not a criminal does not have any value ' inside Arthur Road jail.  You are at the mercy of some criminals and their friends. 

When time passed, new people were brought in continuously.   There was no place even to sit in the side of the barrack were we were sitting.  All the new people (drug takers, rag pickers, and others) were made to sit virtually on the lap of each other.  THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BARRACK WERE RESERVED FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD PAID MONEY.  So at that side, new comers, and the people who have not bribed were not allowed to sit. The people at the other side of the barrack were lavishly enjoying the place. 

At around eight food was distributed.  There is a sack in which "katori' (a kind of Aluminum bowls) were kept.  Most of these bowls did not have proper shape ' and was never washed properly for long years.  Food included, dal-curry and three chapattis (very hard kind of chapatti).  Then after that comes rice ' which is served by hand.  Everything will be put in the same bowl.  Since there were many entries, I received food in the third round.  The bowl you get to use might have used by a drunken person who might not have taken bath for months.  That person might not have washed it properly also.  But you do not have a choice to go and get it washed.  You have to eat in that bowl. I ate in that bowl.   

After eating, any many times pushing around, from one corner to another, it is time for you to sleep.  The sides of the barrack is reserved for people who have paid money to the in charge criminals. They get a sheet to sleep.  And they do have some place to move their hands and feet.  They smoke biddies, cigarettes or 'Charas' in side the barrack.  Many of these people are very high criminals.

Inside the Barrack you are high raking person if you have done very high Crimes.  If you have killed 10 persons, then you are respected more and given more facilities.  If you are drug dealer, or weapon dealer or like that big, crimes you have done, then prison authorities and in charge criminals will respect you more.  But if you are a small criminal, then you not high ranking.  Then if you have money to pay to these people, then you will be treated very well. If you are a small criminal, and if you do not have money, then you will be treated as if you have committed a crime like "waging war against you country".  If your opponent have paid money to some "police' officer of the prison' or to the "criminal in-charge' then you will be unnecessarily mistreated.  Again, if they think that the person in side is capable of bribing and 'is not bribing purposefully' then also you will be mistreated, so that you will pay to escape this mistreatment. 

The accused persons and small criminals who have not paid money will be given space in the middle of the BARRAK.  Barrack is a long hall.  Its width would be like the following: If three 5.7- inch persons lay on the floor length wise there would have four inches gap between one person's foot and other person's head.  Two wall sides are reserved as I told earlier, for paid criminals and high-ranking big time criminals or for the people who are in the 'company' (Company means, people who are in gangs ' they are drug gangsters, gonads or other kind of people who are aspiring members or members of these gangs).

Since, I was accused of 296 (Which is virtually a new IPC section for Arthur road jail inmates) ' I was not considered as high ranking member of prison Barrack.  And since I had not paid any bribe to 'in charge' criminals or to other in charges, I was counted with beggar criminals, drug criminals etc.  And because of that, I was made to sleep in the between space of the barrack.  If you move your hand up - your hand will touch on the foot of some one and they would shout at you.  If you move your foot down then it will touch on some ones feet, then they will shout at you. 

Now allotting the space.  You are made to lay on your back just next to some one on a thin cloth.  You will be asked to fold your hand and to keep it on your chest.  Then another person will be asked to lay close to you.  That person also would be asked to keep their hand on their chest.  Then another person next to him.  This is how you have to sleep in the Barrack no. 3 of Arthur Road prison you your first day entry.  The person near, you might not have taken bath for many days. 

Lights in the hall is never turned off.  Person next you and you would move your hand, or turn in your sleep.  That means, you lose your sleep.  Some people have violent moves in their sleep.  But if you make any comment, you will be shouted at.  People who sleep near wall, and whose foot is above your head, would put their foot on your head, but you are not to speak any thing to them, because they are 'high ranking' criminals.  If any person react to these things, then, the question is only, whether 'are you a high ranking' criminal, or paid criminal?  If you are in any one of these categories, your opponent is wrong.  If you are not in this category, you are always wrong. 

THIS WAS MY FIRST NIGHT (26/07/07) in side Arthur Road prison.  About 27/07/07 in the next post.  (I will be analyzing other issues of prison life, after I describe actual experience inside prison.)