Chanakya Puri

Tihar Prisons

Tihar Prisons, also called Tihar Jail and Tihar Ashram, is the largest complex of prisons in South Asia. It is located at Tihar village, approximately 8 km from Chanakya Puri, to the west of New Delhi, India. The surrounding area is called Ashok Nagar.

The prison is maintained as a Correctional Institution. Its main objective is to convert its inmates into normal members of the society by providing them with useful skills, education and rules. It is meant to improve the inmates' self-esteem and strengthen their desire to improve. Items manufactured by the inmates bear the brand Tihar.

History

The original Tihar Jail was created in 1958 on the site of Tihar village. Originally it was a maximum security prison run by the State of Punjab. In 1966 control was transferred to the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Beginning in 1984 addition facilities were constructed, and it became the Tihar Prisons.

While Kiran Bedi was the Inspector General of Prisons, and had the Tihar Prisons under her jurisdiction, she instituted a number of prison reforms, including changing the name to Tihar Ashram. She also instituted a Vipassana meditation program for both staff and inmates.

Famous inmates

Charles Sobraj, an international criminal, escaped from this prison on March 16 1986, but was recaptured shortly thereafter and returned to Tihar Prison with an additional ten year term of imprisonment for the escape. He was released on completion of his term on February 17 1997.

Ripun Bora, the education minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi-led Cong. government, who is the main accused of one Daniel Topno murder case, was arrested by CBI briving CBI official on June 3, 2008, sent to this jail on June 7, 2008.