Children of the Prison

Prisons are daunting places even for adult men; they are probably far worse for women prisoners. Manuals that govern the running of prisons do not contain any special provisions for children of women prisoners who constitute a particularly vulnerable category. The women are in prison either as under trials accused of an offence, or as convicts. Unlike other inmates, the children are in jail not for any delinquent behaviour but because their mothers are in jail. Either they are born in jail, or they are too young to stay away from their mothers, or there is no one to look after them in the absence of their mother.
Supreme court of India had reacted on an study done by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which put forward five grounds as the basis for proper facilities for minors accompanying their mother in Prison.
And the below photo essay which you get to see was done during my visit to the women’s wing at the Parpana Agrahara Central jail in Bangalore in June and August 2007 for, Bangalore Mirror -Tabloid.

Veeraesh who was born inside the jail four years ago along with his friends inside the special Women cell at the Parappana Agrahara Jail.

Women inmates play with their under 6 year old children inside the special Women cell at the Parappana Agrahara Jail. Most of these children will leave their mother at the age of 6 if they have an guardian to take care of them.

Shiva a Child consoles his mother inside the Women cell at the Parappana Agrahara Jail. This image was taken in June 2007 and during my revisit in August 2007, Shiva had left for his home wher he was being taken care by his grandparents.

Illavarasan 2 and a half year old stands in queue to get his food along with other women inmates after he was taken in along with his grandmother inside the special Women cell at the Parappana Agrahara Jail In Bangalore. Illavarasan was beaten by his mother before she got married to another person in Salem. The boy is being taken care of her grandmother who has been arrested under alleged charges of saree theft in the city of Bangalore.

Women inmates play with their under 6 year old children inside the special Women cell at the Parappana Agrahara Jail.
What ever their crime the women committed but the motherly bonding with their children was evident through out my two visits to the women cell at the Parpana Agrahara Jails