Reforming Tihar jail and its inmates

B.K. Gupta (57), a 1975-batch Indian Police Service officer, has changed the way Delhi’s high-security Tihar jail does its job of reforming those condemned to life behind bars for being law-breakers. Abhishek Sharan speaks to him about the changes he brought in Tihar.

B.K. Gupta (57), a 1975-batch Indian Police Service officer, has changed the way Delhi’s high-security Tihar jail does its job of reforming those condemned to life behind bars for being law-breakers. A history postgraduate from Allahabad University, and a lawyer, Gupta has also headed Delhi police’s Crime Branch and did a stint with the Special Protection Group.

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You took over as the Director General (Prisons) of Tihar jail, having around 11,500 inmates and campus of 400 acres three years ago in July 2006. Since then, what has changed here in terms of how it conducts itself, and might be perceived by its inmates and the outside world?

Since July 2006, I have initiated many measures and changes that have transformed Tihar jail’s character — in terms of how it treats/manages around 11,500 inmates, the number of services and opportunities it provides to these inmates, decent living condition and re-employment avenues, and its image outside the jail walls. Today, it is being acknowledged for being a great place for the reformation of the habitual and non-habitual criminals.

How have you upgraded Tihar’s security amid hundreds of professional, serious offenders?

Under my charge, there has been no prisoner’s riot in Tihar, nobody escaped; there were no adverse rulings against it from courts. I have executed a plan to make the entire jail get monitored by cameras. We have installed four cellphone jammers as wells to curb their (prisoners’) ability to carry out illegal activities from inside. I have equipped the in-house jail guards---tasked with security of the inner perimeter---with INSAS automatic rifles and better training facilities. ITBP and Tamil Nadu Special Armed Police ensure security of the outer perimeter.

What have you done to make sure that first-time offenders —75 per cent of the population — are not influenced by the serious offenders? Any steps to curb in-house violence?

We have set up separate first time offenders' wards that are segregated from other wards. To stop any body from bullying the first time offenders, we have also instituted Punchayets, a self-governing body comprising inmates, in each of these wards. There are enough recreational and sporting facilities for them, Yoga and meditation are compulsory.

What have you done to make the living conditions better for the inmates?
We have ensured hot food, potable water purified by reverse osmosis plants, bathrooms that are ventilated and with flush facilities. To make them prepare for life outside, as a respectable breadwinner, we have begun ITI-like training centres.

Have you brought down corruption in the administration?
There is no corruption here. We have a transparent, impersonal system that allows visitors to set up meetings with inmates.