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HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JAILS IN TRAVANCORE STATE

Dr. C. Sankar
Assistant Professor of History, Lord Jegannath College of Education, PSN Nagar, Kanyakumari District.

From the description of the administrative system of Travancore, we learn that formerly there were only two jails in 1844, one at Trivandrum and the other at Quilon for securing the convicts maintained by the Sircar and employed to repair the roads everyday1. It is seen from the Administrative Report of 1038 M.E. (1862-63), that there were three principal jails in Travancore, one at Trivandrum, another at Quilon and yet another at Alleppey2. There were also lock-ups attached to the Zilla Court3, chiefly for the confinement of under trial prisoners. The jails were formerly under the charge of Revenue Officers. Medical assistance to the inmates had been given by the native physicians4. The remuneration paid to them was exceedingly scanty and there were no sanitary arrangements to keep the jails clean and to ensure the health of the inmates. The result was that there was considerable mortality. Later, medical charge was transferred to the Durbar Physician and each jail was provided with a medical subordinate5.

The Central Jail at Trivandrum was situated at the north – western angle of the Fort. This building before the occupation of the jail served as the barracks for the Nair Brigade, in which men of short terms of imprisonment were confined6. The prisoners were locked up at night and were guarded by Jail Wardens and Brigade Sepoys. Prisoners sentenced to simple imprisonment had no work while those sentenced to rigorous imprisonment had work of various kinds. A large number of them were employed in the making and repairing of roads both at the capital and at Quilon and in sweeping them; others were told off in small parties from day to day for garden work in the Palaces, Hospitals, Sircar buildings and Public gardens, while some were engaged in carting their own daily provisions, drawing water for cooking and cleaning purposes, in making their own fetters. While a few were employed to saw timber in the maramat workshop, another few were employed in ivory and wood carving.

The jails were formerly under the medical charge of native physicians drawing a mere pittance of Rs. 6/- or 7/- per mensem and the consequence was uncleanliness and excessive mortality7. The medical charge was transferred to the Durbar Physician about 1860 A.D. as Principal Medical Officer of the Government and medical subordinates were attached to each jail. The Administrative Report for 1038 (1862-63 A.D) mentions three jails, the principal one at Trivandrum, another at Quilon and the third at Alleppey besides small jails attached to the Zillah. Criminal courts were assigned the work chiefly for the confinement of the prisoners under trial8. In the same year, very energetic measures were taken by Dr. Ross, the Durbar Physician, to arrest the progress of mortality in these jails9.

By 1048 M.E (1872-73 A.D) the number of jails had risen to 4, all under the general control of the Dewan, two at Trivandrum, the Central Jail and another, a kind of supplement to it, one at Quilon and another at Alleppey. The charge of the jails was vested in Superintendents or Jailors; the Central Jail was under a Superintendent and an Assistant, drawing Rs.85/- (including Rs.15/- horse allowance) and Rs. 30/- respectively, the supplemental jail under another Superintendent drawing Rs. 30/- while those of Quilon and Alleppey were under the Jailors drawing Rs. 20/- each10.

The Superintendent of the Central Jail was authorized to inflict 6 cuts on the back with ration for insubordination or breach of jail discipline; but there was no deprivation of food as one of the punishments. Summary powers were also given to the Town Sub-Magistrate of Quilon and the Magistrate of Alleppey11. The Superintendent was required to visit the Jail daily, sign and send reports and returns to the Huzur to admit and release prisoners at the close of their terms, investigate and decide all petty quarrels and assaults among the convicts. Inspect the sanitary arrangements, superintend the work of the convicts and to other miscellaneous duties. In these he was assisted by two assistants drawing Rs.35/- and Rs. 30/- respectively, a Jamedar and Duffadar on Rs. 10/- each, two clerks, one on Rs. 8/- and the other on Rs. 6/- and 118 peons on Rs.5/- each; of these the second Assistant, the Jamedar, 2 Head – peons one of the additional clerks and 33 peons were in charge of the Sub-jail at Pujappura12.

There were then no rule of practice allowing remission of punishments nor was there any for granting rewards for good conduct. The Superintendent of the Central Jail had the power to inflict six strikes on the back of the convict for insubordination or for other breach of discipline. But, there was no deprivation of food as a punishment13. Summary powers were also given to the Town Sub-Magistrate of Quilon and the Magistrate of Alleppey. The Superintendent was required to visit the jail daily, to admit prisoners and release them at the termination of the period of incarceration, investigate and decide all petty quarrels and assaults among the convicts inspect the sanitary arrangements and do other miscellaneous duties14. The Superintendent had two Assistants under him. The Quilon Station Jail was under the control of the Superintendent of Police, who periodically inspected it, but the immediate charge was held by a Jailor. The Jailor was assisted by Naick15 some and peons and was supervised by the Judges of the Court16.

In 1880 the Superintendent of the Central Jail was sent to the British Jail at Cannanore to study the jail discipline and the system of jail administration in vogue there17. He returned in December of the same year and submitted a report on the reforms to be introduced. Consequently, intramural labour was slowly and gradually introduced in the jail. Native cloths, cotton carpets, coir rugs, chain-fetters and carts for jail use were manufactured by convict labour in addition to carving in wood and ivory. The scale of dietary was revised and improved and assimilated as far as circumstances permitted to that obtaining in the British jails18. A printing press was established inside the jail in 1057 M.E/ 1881-8219. The new rules provided for the inspection of the jail by official visitors, regulated the punitive powers of the officer in-charge and defined his duties and those of his subordinates. Provision was also made for the release, under sanction, of convicts suffering from incurable diseases disabling them forever from the commission of crimes. The system of serving out dolls of raw rice to each convict with cash for purchasing firewood and condiments was put a stop to and a scale of dietary was adopted under which cooked food was distributed20.

Prisoners undergoing rigorous imprisonment was allowed 26 ½ oz each of rice and a rupee weight of table salt, besides 8 cash for condiments, those under simple imprisonment were allowed only 21 ¼ oz of rice per day and a rupee weight of table salt and 8 cash for condiments. Brahmins were fed by choultry rice brought by Brahmin servants from the choultry21. Civil debtors were paid by their creditors at the rate of 5 chs. each per day through the courts. Prisoners under trial got 2 ¼ chs. a day including the allowance for condiments. All prisoners except civil debtors were given a cloth every six months and a Jamakalam22 every third year23.

A large influx of Marava convicts connected with the Sivakasi riots which extended to the borders of Travancore increased the sick rate and the death rate of the Central jail24. The fault was not so much in the dieting or other precautionary measures taken for the health and comfort of the jail population as in the unsuitability of this damp climate to the hardy Marava, born and bred in the dry atmosphere of Pandian kingdom and inured to a vigorous open-air-life of roaming over the dry plains at a pace incredible to the dwellers on this coast. When shut up, the best of them pine and die. One of the greatest safeguards against the Marava decoits on the Travancore frontiers being not more frequent than now is the fear of incarceration in the Travancore jails which the Marava believes is death to him. Such is the dread which the thieving Marava entertains for an enforced residence in the climate of Malayalam25.

In 1602 M.E. (1886-87 A.D.), the present Central Jail at Pujappura, a very handsome and commodious structure standing on a conspicuous position, was occupied26. This enabled Government to abolish the sub-jail hitherto stationed there and to reduce the guards. In the same year, the jail establishment was revised and placed on a better footing.

Sub-jails
The Sub-Jails were

  1. Quilon Station Jail
  2. Quilon Court Jail
  3. Alleppey Jail
  4. Nagercoil Court Jail

The Quilon Station Jail was under the control of the Superintendent of Police, who periodically inspected it. The immediate charge was rested in the hands of a Jailor drawing Rs. 20/- per mensem assisted by a Naick on Rs.8/- and a certain number of peons with salaries ranging from Rs. 4/- to 5/-27. The Jailor was authorized to put prisoners in the stocks, or substitute heavy iron for light ones or have them manacled in case they became refractory reporting the circumstances to the Superintendent. The Jailor kept a register of the prisoners under his charge, as also of their release, death and apportioned work daily for each batch. He had to muster them after work and see that proper batta was given to them. He had to sleep in the prison on alternative days and go frequently to inspect the batches on work. The Naick had to conduct the prisoners to their working places and back again to the Jail and also had to sleep in the prison on alternative days.

The Alleppey Jail was under the charge of one Jailor on Rs. 25/- per mensem, one Naick and 14 peons and was superintended by the Judges of the Court. The Magistrate who directed the sanitary arrangements of the Jail attended also to the complaints of the prisoners. The ration allowed in these sub-jails is generally 2 ½ measures of rice and 8 cash per day per head. Civil debtors were allowed 5 chs. a day and those under trial 2 ½ chs. The prisoners were allowed to buy the necessary things from the dealers who were let into the jail premises under the strict supervision of the jail officials. In all these district jails sanitation was carefully attended to and general cleanliness maintained both within and without the premises. Prisoners were regularly vaccinated soon after admission and sick prisoners were removed to a separate room and treated by the local medical subordinates.

References

  1. V. Nagam Aiya, The Travancore State Manual, Vol. III, Trivandrum, 1906, p.447.
  2. Administration Report of Travancore for the year 1862-63, p.108.
  3. Old name for District and Sessions Court.
  4. T.K. Velu Pillai, The Travancore State Manual, Vol.I, Thiruvananthapuram, 1996, p. 132.
  5. Ibid.
  6. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol.III, p.448.
  7. Ibid, p.447.
  8. The Travancore Administration Report 1862-63, p. 112.
  9. Ibid.
  10. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol. III, p.448.
  11. Ibid., p.449
  12. Ibid.
  13. T.K. Velu Pillai, Op.cit., Vol.IV, p.133.
  14. Ibid., p.134.
  15. A low grade servant.
  16. T.K. Velu Pillai, Op.cit., Vol. IV, p.134.
  17. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol. III, p.450.
  18. Ibid.
  19. The Travancore Administration Report 1881-82, p.110.
  20. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol.III, p.458.
  21. Ibid., p.448.
  22. Carpet.
  23. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol.III, p.448.
  24. Ibid., p.452.
  25. Ibid.
  26. The Travancore Administration Report 1886-87, p.118.
  27. V. Nagam Aiya, Op.cit., Vol.III, p.441.
  28. Ibid., p.449.