Chanchalguda Central Jail
| Location | Hyderabad, India |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 17°21′57″N 78°30′00″E / 17.365742°N 78.500068°E |
| Status | Open |
| Security class | Maximum |
| Capacity | 1000 |
| Opened | 1876 |
Chanchalguda Central Jail, located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, is one of the oldest jails in the country.[1] The jail is in the old city of Hyderabad at Chanchalguda. It was constructed during the reign of the Nizam of the Hyderabad State,[2] and remains operational today.
The jail has an official capacity of 1000 inmates, but is said to be overcrowded, with inmate numbers having recently come to exceed 1,600. An average of 40 new inmates arrive at the jail daily.[3] In 2012, renovations began to update the amenities and expand the occupancy of the jail. Following the introduction of an adult literacy programme, Chanchalguda Central Jail reported a 100% literacy rate from 1989 to 1990.[1]
History
Chanchalguda Central Jail was founded in 1876 under the Nizam of Hyderabad, with British oversight, to serve as a key prison in the princely state.[4] Hyderabad, a major center under Asaf Jahi rule, needed a secure facility for political dissenters and criminals, and the jail was built in Chanchalguda, then a quieter suburb.[5] Its construction came amid British efforts to standardize prison systems across India, influenced by the 1838 Prison Discipline Committee’s push for reform.[6] The jail’s early role was grim, it held freedom fighters opposing British and Nizam rule, including activists from the 1930s Telangana Rebellion.[7] After India’s independence in 1947 and Hyderabad’s integration in 1948, the jail transitioned to state control, becoming a central facility in Andhra Pradesh and later Telangana.
Economics
A petrol pump staffed by inmates is located adjoining the jail.[8] The annual turnover of the petrol pump is over ₹100 crore as of 2017.[9][10] Apart from this, there is also a restaurant staffed by inmates and a store which sells handloom products made by the inmates, including bedsheets and towels.[11]
Notable Inmates
The jail has housed significant figures:
- Freedom Fighters: During the 1930s–1940s, it held Telangana Rebellion activists opposing Nizam rule, including leaders like Doddi Komaraiah.[12]
- Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy: The YSR Congress Party leader was detained in 2012–2013 on corruption charges, drawing media attention.[13]
- MIM Leaders: In 2012, MLAs Akbaruddin and Asaduddin Owaisi faced brief detention over protest-related charges.[14]
- Satyam Scam Accused: Ramalinga Raju, founder of Satyam Computers, was held in 2009 for financial fraud.[15]
References
- ^ a b . "TS Prisons Department". tsprisons.gov.in. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ "'Richest' Gali now baths under trees at Chanchalguda". The Times of India. 11 September 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ "Jails in Hyderabad, Cherlapalli Central Jail, Chanchalguda Jail". hyderabadonline.in. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ "TS Prisons Department". tsprisons.gov.in. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ Desai, V. H. (1990). Vande Mataram to Jana Gana Mana: Saga of Hyderabad Freedom Struggle. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 42.
- ^ "Prison Reforms In India | Legal Service India - Law Articles - Legal Resources". www.legalserviceindia.com. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "A misfortune for five men". The Times of India. 14 April 2008. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Run entirely by prisoners, this Hyderabad petrol bunk is all about second chances". The News Minute. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Hyderabad: These jailbirds earn a profit of Rs 4 crore for prisons department". The Times of India. 6 June 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Hyderabad: Petrol Pump operated by life convicts earns Rs. 4 crore as profit". business-standard.com. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Borah, Prabalika M. (14 December 2018). "My Nation Food Court is a unique initiative of the Prison Department, government of Telangana". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Sharma, I. Mallikarjuna (2002). In Retrospect: pt. 1. Andhra Pradesh : heroes and heroines of Telangana armed struggle. Ravi Sasi Enterprises. p. 197. ISBN 978-81-901139-4-6.
- ^ "Jagan Mohan Reddy returns to Chanchalguda jail from hospital". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Asad meets Jagan in jail". The Hindu. 20 June 2012. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Ramalinga Raju back in jail". The Hindu. 10 November 2010. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 June 2025.