50 years of Emergency: When a prisoner was made to ‘run like a horse' at Madras Central Jail

The Hindu

5 hours ago

In his autobiography Ungalil Oruvan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin described the Madras Central Prison during the Emergency as a 'torture camp' that echoed with wails. Accounts presented to the Justice M. M. Ismail Commission in 1977 appear to validate that grim depiction.
According to testimonies, prison staff seemed to take pleasure in humiliating detainees. 'When one of them returned after a visit to Bangalore, he was made to run like a horse while being beaten,' recounted K. Vezhavendan, a former DMK Minister who later founded the Makkal DMK. He also alleged that the staff used 'disrespectful language.'
'Even refused water'
'Mr. Vezhavendan said they were not even given a bedsheet or mat. They were not given water to drink when they wanted. They were in the lock-up for 24 hours for nine days after their imprisonment till the DIG visited them. On February 2, 1976 night, he was shocked to hear shrieks and cries from other cells and the prisoners asking the staff not to beat them...The next day, the doctor, on his routine check-up, saw his condition, but he (Vezhavendan) was afraid of complaining. He was warned not to, lest more cruelty be unleashed on them. The inmates did not have a change of clothes for about eight days,' reported The Hindu on the Commission proceedings.
Vezhavendan said one prisoner was so desperate he contemplated suicide. After his release, Jail Superintendent K. Vidyasagar and his father K. Kolandaivelu, a former Deputy Commissioner of Police, met him in May 1977, asking him to 'forget the incidents and forgive them.' [Vidyasagar, however, told the Commission it was Vezhavendan who had visited him at his home.]
Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary (now president) K. Veeramani, in his deposition, told the Commission that the jail warders ignored his plea not to assault V.S. Sambandam, who had recently undergone spinal surgery. 'I warned them it might kill him,' Mr Veeramani said. Sambandam confirmed he collapsed after being struck. But the warders showed no sympathy, allegedly telling him to 'stop pretending' and get up.
Senior DMK leader Arcot N. Veeraswami, arrested on February 1, 1976 — a day after the DMK government was dismissed — said detainees were subjected to 'indecent and demeaning' language by staff. Seven inmates were packed into one cell, beaten, and denied drinking water or basic amenities for days. 'New arrivals were beaten... were allowed to bathe and change clothes only on February 9,' he deposed.
According to The Hindu Archives, Mr. Veeraswami added that on one occasion, a large amount of salt was deliberately mixed in the soup. 'On another occasion, sand was sprinkled on the food. Once the orderlies who used to help them in the kitchen were suddenly removed and replaced by four others, one of whom used to do scavenging work. Another had scabies and eczema on his hand, and the third suffered from a skin disease. The detenus protested and did not take tea in the morning. After representations, the original batch of orderlies was sent to the work. The Superintendent warned them that it was an offence to refuse food and they were liable to be punished.'
Allegations denied
However, the jail staff's counsel denied the allegations, calling the salt-in-soup claim 'imaginary.' He accused the prisoners of spreading propaganda for political purposes. The counsel also alleged that it was Mr. Veeraswami who had shared 'valuable information' to the superintendent to secure favourable treatment and release — a charge echoed by Vidyasagar.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)