Bengaluru: Central Prison, Ballari is one of the Karnataka‘s oldest jails. The current structure, housing the prison, was built during the British rule in 1884, after the first war of Indian Independence.
The prison was recently in the news after it emerged that Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, accused in Renukaswamy’s murder case, would be shifted to the prison after his purported photograph of hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, in the lawns of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Karnataka went viral.
All about Ballari jail
Three jails were set up in Ballari — the first in 1872, which was later named Central Prison in 1884 and spread over 16 acres of land. The other two were an open-air jail in Allipur village to lodge political prisoners and, at TB Sanatorium to lodge sick prisoners. All three prisons were used for lodging the prisoners of World War I.
The jails in Allipur and TB Sanatorium were closed over the years.
The first district collector of Madras Presidency recommended the establishment of jails in Ballari to lodge prisoners. Allipur jail was later converted into a military prison and named Alipore jail. Many freedom fighters, including Mahavir Singh, Bindu Madhav and others, were lodged in the prison. Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences is now functioning out of Allipur jail.
The 140-year-old Ballari Central Prison is not only historic, but also infamous for its irregularities, such as smuggling of drugs, liquor, tobacco products, gambling and other illegal activities. However, over the years, officials have taken many measures to nip these irregularities. Notorious criminals such as ‘Deadly’ Soma, Bheema Teera killers, and KG Halli and DJ Halli riot accused were lodged in the prison in the past.
So notorious was Ballari jail that in many Kannada films, police officers warn villains that they will be thrown into this prison as a strong punishment. One of the reasons for the prison’s notoriety is that it lacks modern facilities. The second main reason is the soaring mercury levels in Ballari district, which hovers around 45 degrees Celsius in summer.
The central prison is in the heart of the city, surrounded by the famous Kanaka Durgamma temple, BJP party office, and superintendent of police (SP) bungalow (residence).
Prison break seems impossible
The prison compound wall is 18 feet tall. The prison has a capacity to house more than 415 prisoners; at present, it has around 385 prisoners, including three gang members of Siddapura Mahesh, who was killed by Wilson Garden Naga and his associates.
A senior police officer said that there are about 100 prisoners, who have committed murders and 40 rowdies in the prison. They include rowdies from Bengaluru, Mandya, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, and Mangaluru.
The prison has 16 special cells in the high-security wing. There are 85 CCTV cameras on the premises, which were checked on Tuesday to ensure they are functioning. The prison staff, including warders, jailers, and others, don body-worn cameras while on duty.