“Since they know me, they undressed me. Then asked me to move my penis forward and
backward, then bend down and widen my buttocks and attempt to defecate. They asked me
to defecate as hard as I can since what I was doing was not enough. I said I can’t understand.
At that time the prison police officer (stepped in and) hit my head.”
When inquiries were made from the Prison Headquarters regarding the re-establishment of
the Bandha Police, they were unable to provide any written document regarding its reestablishment.
7. First night in prison
When inmates were asked to describe their experience of the first night in prison the most
dominant feeling expressed by inmates was fear. Inmates stated that they had a
preconceived notion of what prison would be like which caused them to fear what they may
have to experience. One inmate stated, “We never know what is waiting for us.” Another
stated as follows:
“I didn’t know what kind of place it will be and what kind of people will be here. When I was
outside, I used to hear people say how bad prisons are and how they torture prisoners. So, I
was very worried.”
Some inmates stated that fear even drove them to contemplate suicide, with an inmate
stating that he had ‘Kaduru’53 seeds in his pocket, which he consumed on the way to prison
requiring him to be immediately treated at GH.
The first night in prison was a different experience for inmates who had prior experience of
being in prison. However, where condemned prisoners are concerned, even those who had
spent time in prison on remand stated they felt scared, with some stating it led them to
contemplate taking their own lives. One inmate said that his first night at WCP “was just
terrifying, awful”. Further, he explained that due to overcrowding inmates were required to
sleep in a position which he described as “[packing] sardines”.
It was found that certain special categories of inmates, such as those imprisoned under the
PTA, felt more exposed or were more fearful than others imprisoned under the normal penal
laws. One such female inmate stated that, “People look at me as [if I am] a terrorist.” Foreign
inmates also stated they felt frightened since, as they explained, it was scary to be imprisoned
in a foreign country where one knows no-one.
Sadness was another predominant feeling expressed by prisoners, which they said was
exacerbated by seeing so much sadness amongst the prisoners around them. “Everyone who
comes in [to prison] comes crying,” an inmate said. Reminiscing about time spent with family
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Goda-kaduru - Strychnos nux vomica- A type of seed which is extremely poisonous. Inmate could also be referring
to another type of Kaduru seeds - Divi Kaduru - Pagiyantha dicotoma - which is equally poisonous.
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