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In Odisha, inmates refuse to walk out of ‘open’ jail
CHATRAPUR (Ganjam): Over two decades ago, the jail here gained notoriety after 14 of its inmates escaped. There was every chance of an encore on Saturday night, but those incarcerated didn't take advantage of the 20-metre wide compound wall collapse wrought by Cyclone Phailin, leaving the authorities relieved.
Winds laden with rain made the 27-year-old prison's boundary wall look like a pack of cards. "It fell flat I was very worried and rushed to the collector's office braving the weather conditions to seek manpower assistance. The collector soon sent it seven people. The inmates could have escaped in the interim, but no one did," jail superintendent Arun Rath said.
Electricity lines tripped at around 9pm. It was dark and chaotic. Everyone was frightened, recounting memories of the 1999 battering. But few could have expected a portion of the jail's 19 feet high wall to cave in, bringing down a part of ward number three with it.
"We had dinner and were prepared for the storm, but never expected the wall to fall down," said jail warder Banabasi Jena. The trees inside the jail premises gradually kissed the ground and some of the 125 prisoners could have made their way out. "No one could think of leaving the jail, though several of us could have run away. The cyclone seemed to have united us and for a moment there was no difference between the inmates and the jail staff. Everyone was together praying for safety," said Kalu Swain, who along with brother Uday are murder convicts undergoing life imprisonment since the last 10 years.
"We knew the cyclone was coming from TV news. Little before the wall collapsed we shifted out from ward number three to five," said Harihar Nayak, accused of murdering former Chatrapur block chairman Simanchal Patra. Banabasi Patra (74), the oldest inmate, and four members of his family are in the jail for four months in connection with his daughter-in-law's death case. "The court should understand that we are innocent and don't deserve to be incarcerated. If we had a criminal intent, we could have tried to flee," he said.
CHATRAPUR (Ganjam): Over two decades ago, the jail here gained notoriety after 14 of its inmates escaped. There was every chance of an encore on Saturday night, but those incarcerated didn't take advantage of the 20-metre wide compound wall collapse wrought by Cyclone Phailin, leaving the authorities relieved.
Winds laden with rain made the 27-year-old prison's boundary wall look like a pack of cards. "It fell flat I was very worried and rushed to the collector's office braving the weather conditions to seek manpower assistance. The collector soon sent it seven people. The inmates could have escaped in the interim, but no one did," jail superintendent Arun Rath said.
Electricity lines tripped at around 9pm. It was dark and chaotic. Everyone was frightened, recounting memories of the 1999 battering. But few could have expected a portion of the jail's 19 feet high wall to cave in, bringing down a part of ward number three with it.
"We had dinner and were prepared for the storm, but never expected the wall to fall down," said jail warder Banabasi Jena. The trees inside the jail premises gradually kissed the ground and some of the 125 prisoners could have made their way out. "No one could think of leaving the jail, though several of us could have run away. The cyclone seemed to have united us and for a moment there was no difference between the inmates and the jail staff. Everyone was together praying for safety," said Kalu Swain, who along with brother Uday are murder convicts undergoing life imprisonment since the last 10 years.
"We knew the cyclone was coming from TV news. Little before the wall collapsed we shifted out from ward number three to five," said Harihar Nayak, accused of murdering former Chatrapur block chairman Simanchal Patra. Banabasi Patra (74), the oldest inmate, and four members of his family are in the jail for four months in connection with his daughter-in-law's death case. "The court should understand that we are innocent and don't deserve to be incarcerated. If we had a criminal intent, we could have tried to flee," he said.
