Wires, coils, nails: Prison inmates’ clandestine efforts to make heaters in Delhi’s harsh winter

Prison officials say that inmates are using these items to make improvised electric equipment to heat water, food or light fires

As the Capital reels under biting cold conditions, Delhi prisons officials have suddenly recorded a spike in the recovery of metallic items — wires, coils, nails — from inmates.

Delhi prisons are mandated by law to tend to the needs of inmates during the Capital’s harsh weather conditions. (HT FILE)

The department shared that in the last two months, they seized seven mobile phones in Tihar, while they recovered 33 bundles of electric wires during the same period.

In normal times, the seizure of these sharp objects would suggest that prisoners are hoarding up on weapons, and would point to an impending gang war in jail. This winter, however, prison officials say that inmates are using these items to make improvised electric equipment to heat water, food or light fires.

However, these devices are illegal — any prisoner who is caught with such a tool on their person is liable to be punished — they could lose visitation privileges, may lose recreation time, or could get extra duties.

Delhi prisons are mandated by law to tend to the needs of inmates during the Capital’s harsh weather conditions. Jail officials clarified that they provide winter clothing, bedding and hot food to inmates, and a spokesperson for Mandoli and Tihar jails told HT that each jail complex has solar heaters and heating rods for inmates.

“Since last year, we have installed many solar heaters in Tihar and Mandoli jails. But many of them are not operational since the maintenance is expensive. Also, Tihar has more than 20,000 prisoners and hundreds of staffers. The overcrowding affects operations as well,” the spokesperson said.

Thus, some prisoners tend to take matters into their own hands, officials said — they steal insulated wires, coils, scrap metal and nails from other appliances to make their own heating coils.

“We found that they make this device which they put into buckets to warm the water for a bath. They also use coils and other equipment to generate electricity and heat,” said an officer in Tihar jail, on condition of anonymity.

“Inmates also use it to generate an electric spark, and light a fire — to heat food, light a cigarette, or even start a small bonfire. These wires are generally stolen from old TV sets, bathroom lights or other appliances,” the officer said.

Another officer said that inmates hide these devices in bathrooms or in toilets.

Sunil Gupta, former law officer at Delhi’s Prisons department, said that the use of innovative devices by prisoners is nothing new.

“Inmates adapt to innovative methods to keep themselves warm and enjoy hot water and food. In my time, they would use wires and parts of discarded electronic appliances to make immersion rods or coils,” the former officer, who was in the prison from 1981 to 2016, said.