Trigger warning: The following article contains references to suicide. Please avoid reading it if you are disturbed by the subject
Every day as dusk fell, Sheelam Shetti Venkata Ramana would feel a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. His father, Nageshwar Rao, an infamous figure in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, for his criminal record, would set him a daily challenge — “arrange ₹100 by evening” — before disappearing from their home. Terrified of his father’s wrath, the 14-year-old turned to petty theft, picking pockets to meet the demand.
Now, 36 years later, Ramana is a wanted offender and a regular face in State prisons. In May this year, the Rachakonda police in Hyderabad apprehended him, following a 42-day round-the-clock mission,for his involvement in seven new cases, adding to his staggering tally of over 250 property offences across the two Telugu States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Ramana’s arrest has highlighted a major crisis in Indian jails: the urgent need for effective reformation and rehabilitation of criminals.
In early 2000s in Hyderabad, then part of united Andhra Pradesh, another 14-year-old, Varun Varma (name changed to protect identity), chose a path influenced by his uncle, a history sheeter. His first encounter with the prison system was when the police apprehended him, along with about 30 others, for involvement in communal violence in Amberpet area of the city.
Until 2001, Varun had a conventional upbringing in Hyderabad. His father, a renowned realtor at the time, had just gotten his ticket into the world of politics. With his father’s busy schedule and confusion over choosing a career path upon reaching class 10, Varun found inspiration in his uncle. “People in my area always looked up to him for all sorts of settlements. I admired his lifestyle and skills, but couldn’t beat people up unless I was intoxicated,” Varun recalls.
Now 41, Varun has spent over 15 years behind the bars for offences including murder, assault, extortion, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. By his own admission, his time in prison exposed him to drugs and led him deeper into criminal activities, earning him the moniker ‘Chinna Bhai’, a close associate of slain gangster Nayeem.
The dark prison barrack, packed with about 14 inmates, became his sanctuary. “I grew so fond of the environs that I did not want to go home anymore. Inside, there were all grades of criminals — thieves, murderers, drug lords, and even those with political ties. It was within those walls that I was introduced to drugs and became addicted to it. In jail, we formed networks and assigned each other ‘jobs’,” he says, sharing the names of a few fellow inmates who hired him for settlements outside the jail.
The man, standing at about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 85 kilograms, was reduced to just 35 kilograms during his battle with drug addiction. “My life revolved around drugs and deals. I drifted away from my family, whom I loved dearly. Eventually, I was dead to them,” he adds.
Varun attempted to take his own life thrice. “A friend and I had made a pact to end our lives. The same night, I found his body hanging in the washroom. It was then that I felt utterly alone in this world and decided to end my own life the following day,” he recollects.
That incident marked a turning point in his life. Unlike Ramana, Varun’s path diverged dramatically from his troubled past. Today, he is a trained psychologist, volunteering as a counsellor for inmates at Telangana’s Chanchalguda Central Prison. Varun is also preparing to pursue postdoctoral studies. After serving nearly three years at a global technology firm, he forayed into entrepreneurship by opening a hotel in Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad and is now entering the city’s competitive real estate market.
Similar is the story of Munna Kumar Upadhyay, 41, who hails from Bihar and was convicted for murder. He is one of the 213 inmates, including lifers, who were released from Cherlapalli jail on grounds of good behaviour on July 3. He had been holding counselling sessions for his fellow prisoners during the latter part of his 22-year jail stint under Telangana Prison Department’s programme, Unnati.
Unnati is run by Beena Chintalapuri, a retired psychology professor of Hyderabad’s Osmania University who informally conducts cognitive and behavioral skill-based programmes in jails. She has a team of volunteers, most of them released prisoners. Munna now plans to launch a disinfectant-making business back home.
Varun credits his transformation from ‘Chinna Bhai’ to his current self to the targeted counselling he received while incarcerated. “Without the counselling, I wouldn’t be alive today. They gave me purpose. As I began leading sessions for other inmates, I realised I had to turn my life around for good,” he emphasises, stressing the need for consistent mental health support for those undergoing imprisonment.
Repeat offenders: a product of negligence
In the recent past, there have been several cases of theft, murder and even a recent child-selling racket that have been busted in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. These cases involved repeat offenders who forged friendships in jail and persisted in criminal activities upon release.
A total of 213 convicts, including 35 women, were released from Cherlapalli jail.
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
“More than just the number of cases, the real challenge lies in rehabilitating the minds of criminals, especially repeat offenders, to convince them to not tread the same path again,” says J. Srinivas, Detective Inspector with the Rachakonda police investigating Ramana’s case. “Special focus on psychological counselling and involving them in meaningful prison activities are the steps forward,” he adds.
As per the latest Prison Statistics India report, a total of 2,471 convicts, accounting for 1.9% of the total, were habitual offenders across Indian jails in 2022. Telangana had the second highest number of repeat offenders, with 243 cases (2.6%) out of 9,527 convicts, after Uttar Pradesh with 851 cases, underscoring major concerns.
“Indian jails are obsessed with detention, which is only 33% of what they are meant for. The remaining 66%, focused on reformation and rehabilitation, is often neglected or superficially addressed,” says V.K. Singh, founder of the Prison World Organisation and former director-general of Telangana Prisons, highlighting concerns that many repeat offenders might not even be accounted for.
“The correctional approach is missing in jails. While facilities might be present, prisoners are only seen as criminals and very little is being done to address their psychological challenges,” says Kondaveeti Satyavati, Project Director of Hyderabad-based Bhumika Foundation, a women support organisation which also works towards suicide prevention by counselling jail inmates.
Psychological counselling has been identified as the single most powerful means to bring down the rate of re-committal of prisoners into prisons. In the 245th report on Indian prisons presented in the Rajya Sabha in September 2023, the standing committee has mandated counselling programmes to be run across all Indian prisons to reform first-time offenders, citing the example of Unnati programme. However, after making a significant mark within a short span, such programmes hit a speed bump.
At the heart of reforms
Mental health awareness has gained traction in recent years, especially on social media. But psychologists say it is yet to make a significant impact in Indian prisons, where it is most needed. When incarcerated, the task of dealing with one’s emotional and mental challenges is largely left to individuals already trying to wrap their heads around the ‘new normal’ of their lives, says Purnima Nagaraja, a mental health professional and therapist who has also closely worked with women prisoners in Chanchalguda Central jail in Hyderabad.
Unable to deal with it, many even end their lives. The trend is underscored by the alarming numbers in the latest Prison Statistics report according to which 660 of the 817 unnatural deaths (80.78%) in Indian prisons were suicides. Telangana prisons alone have seen 847 suicides in the past five years.
A prisoner thanking Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services Soumya Mishra after release from Cherlapally Central Jail in Hyderabad on July 3.
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
Roshni, a suicide prevention counselling trust, has counselled for seven years about 20 prisoners per month who attempted suicide. That puts the figure at more than 1,500. “Often undertrial prisoners are more vulnerable. They exhibit depression and suicidal tendencies owing to the uncertainty looming over them,” says Swarna Raju, director of Roshni helpline.
“Critical withdrawal symptoms, including violence in cases of prisoners who are addicted to alcohol or drugs, or suffer from chronic depression, anxiety disorder and anger issues are the prominent concerns among prisoners,” explains K. Santhipriya, a counsellor with Bhumika, who has counselled at least 3,500 prisoners over the past five years. Meanwhile, lack of legal knowledge, limited family meetings and inconsistent mental health support are other factors that can even lead to serious and long-term mental health issues, experts agree.
Post-release life a double-edged sword
Freedom after jail time comes at a huge cost. Ex-prisoners face family rejection, stigma, unequal professional opportunities, and the struggle to reintegrate into a fast-paced world, explains Satyavati. Without timely support, many run the risk of reverting to their former ways.
Some of them experience nightmares for weeks after release, while others struggle with boarding and balancing themselves in public transport, says Santhipriya. “Many suffer memory issues and find it challenging to use gadgets like phones and laptops. Social media can be particularly difficult for them to handle,” she adds.
Both the prison staff and the world outside continue to treat them as ‘criminals’, which hinders their rehabilitation journey.
Take the example of 31-year-old Deepika, who spent time in Chanchalguda Women’s Prison from 2019-2020 on theft charges, and struggled to rebuild her life after release. “Even in jail, I worried about my future. My family did not accept me. When I visit home, they refuse to talk to me due to societal pressure. Moreover, no one was willing to give me a job,” she shares. She now works as a warden at a shelter home in Beeramguda, Hyderabad.
Similarly, 23-year-old Leelavathi faced rejection from her family and villagers after two weeklong stints in prison for attacking a fellow worker at a construction site. One of the seven daughters of her parents and the family’s breadwinner, she now dresses like a man to navigate the male-dominated world of autorickshaw drivers.
Challenges aplenty
Overcrowding remains a major challenge in prison administration. According to the report, the occupancy rate of Indian prisons is 130.2%, while Telangana’s stands at 91.5%. The report also highlights a poor staff-to-inmate ratio of 1:6.
“Governments across the country have been resistant towards transforming prisons. They lack basic healthcare facilities and skill development initiatives, and have ended up as defunct industries owing to lack of funds for raw materials,” Singh argues.
“Very little money, equalling 1.0% (₹20.50 crore), is spent on prisoners’ welfare activities and 0.6% (₹13.16 crore) on vocational/ educational training of prisoners,” the report notes, also recommending allocation of central funds to carry out prison reforms and infrastructure development.
Interestingly, at the national level, only 7.09% of prisoners have received any form of vocational training, and ‘mental health’ is notably absent from the discourse. Consequently, many prisoners fail to reform even when life gives them a second chance.
Mental health experts and counsellors stress the urgent need for consistent, personalised mental health support for inmates. Chanchalguda Women’s prison is set to officially restart its mental health support desk in mid-July, after a hiatus since the pandemic.
“Our key targets will be to reconnect prisoners with their families and offer legal and livelihood support to those released,” says Satyavati.
(If you are in emotional distress and battling thoughts of self-harm, call Roshni helpline on 8142020033/ 8142020044, between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. on any day for free, confidential emotional support. Or write to roshnihelp@gmail.com)
