Chennai Central Prison
Encyclopedia
Madras Central Prison was one of the oldest prisons in India
. It was located in Chennai
(formerly Madras) in the South India
n state of Tamil Nadu
. It began operational during the British rule in India in 1837. Prisoners from the prison were moved to the newly constructed Puzhal Central Prison
starting from 2006. The prison was 172 years old when it began to be demolished in June 2009.
in 1837. It was initially called the Madras penitentiary until 1855 when it was renamed to Central Jail. It was originally built to house transit convicts who were to face the ‘sazaye kaala paani’ in Cellular Jail
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and constructed at the cost of Rs 16,496 on 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) of land.
and Veer Savarkar during the days of independence movement. C. N. Annadurai
, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and leader of Dravidian Movement was housed here for his Anti Hindi agitations. The prison also housed former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
and chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalitha.
in Puzhal
in 2006 and the vacant property was handed over to Chennai Metro Rail Limited
(CMRL) for revenue augmentation purpose in 2008. The cost of the 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) land was estimated conservatively at Rs. 475 crore
(Rs. 4,750,000,000). Demolition of the buildings began on 14 June 2009.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was located in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(formerly Madras) in the South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It began operational during the British rule in India in 1837. Prisoners from the prison were moved to the newly constructed Puzhal Central Prison
Puzhal Central Prison
Puzhal Central Prison is located in Chennai, India. The prison began operational from year 2006 replacing the erswhile Chennai Central Prison.- Construction :The plan for the construction of Puzhal prison was conceived during early 2000s...
starting from 2006. The prison was 172 years old when it began to be demolished in June 2009.
History
Madras Central Prison was one of the oldest prisons in India. It was started during British ruleBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in 1837. It was initially called the Madras penitentiary until 1855 when it was renamed to Central Jail. It was originally built to house transit convicts who were to face the ‘sazaye kaala paani’ in Cellular Jail
Cellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and constructed at the cost of Rs 16,496 on 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) of land.
Notable prisoners
The prison housed Subhash Chandra BoseSubhash Chandra Bose
Subhas Chandra Bose known by name Netaji was an Indian revolutionary who led an Indian national political and military force against Britain and the Western powers during World War II. Bose was one of the most prominent leaders in the Indian independence movement and is a legendary figure in...
and Veer Savarkar during the days of independence movement. C. N. Annadurai
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai , popularly called Anna , or Arignar Anna was a former Chief Minister of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and leader of Dravidian Movement was housed here for his Anti Hindi agitations. The prison also housed former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
and chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalitha.
1999 riots
The inmates in the prison went on a rampage against the officials following the death of an inmate named Vadivelu. They set fire to a room where the assistant warder had taken refuge. Riot police were called in to contain the riots. The police initially used tear gas to quell the rioters, before resorting to live ammunition. In the battle which ensued between the inmates and the riot police, 10 people including a prison official were killed and more than 100 people injured.Relocation
The prisoners from the prison were moved to Puzhal Central PrisonPuzhal Central Prison
Puzhal Central Prison is located in Chennai, India. The prison began operational from year 2006 replacing the erswhile Chennai Central Prison.- Construction :The plan for the construction of Puzhal prison was conceived during early 2000s...
in Puzhal
Puzhal
Puzhal is a town in Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town is well known for Puzhal central prison.Puzhal is located on the banks of Red Hills Lake.-Demographics:...
in 2006 and the vacant property was handed over to Chennai Metro Rail Limited
Chennai Metro
The Chennai Metro is a rapid transit system in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The Phase I of the project consisting of two corridors is under construction. The elevated section of the project is scheduled to be operational by 2013 and the entire project is scheduled to be completed by the financial...
(CMRL) for revenue augmentation purpose in 2008. The cost of the 13 acres (52,609.2 m²) land was estimated conservatively at Rs. 475 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
(Rs. 4,750,000,000). Demolition of the buildings began on 14 June 2009.