Former Journalist Recalls Life In Byculla Prison

Brut India

Jigna Vora was accused of murder in 2011 and sent to Byculla Jail as an undertrial. Seven years later, she was acquitted and penned her experience in a book titled ‘Behind Bars in Byculla’.

Transcript

00:00I have been labelled as a murderer. I have been labelled as an underworld lady.

00:04I was crying. I was not knowing what was happening to me.

00:08I covered 2611 trial of Kassab and in the same courtroom I was on the other side of

00:29the law as an accused.

00:59I had totally collapsed mentally and physically and I had no clue what is in store, what

01:07is inside Lalgate, I was not aware of at all.

01:11So the moment I entered that face, that barrack, some female from corner just said, nahi randi

01:21So that's a very bad language.

01:29You have to literally remove all your clothes and they used to make you sit and stand up

01:35and sit down five times, totally naked.

01:39And above all, I was, yes, you know, going through, I was having periods, I was on the

01:46third day and they told, no, no, I requested, no, I am charming, I cannot now remove my

01:52panty.

01:53They told, no, you have to.

01:54That's a rule, is a rule.

01:55And I removed it and I was crying.

01:58I was not knowing what is happening to me.

02:06Small, small things started mattering a lot, like toothpaste, brush, toothbrush, soap,

02:12which outside we don't consider at all.

02:15Jail is basically, you know, a place where your survival is at stake.

02:21Here, while I was out, though now things have changed, now I am very conscious and aware,

02:27we just, you know, open the tap and water is dropping and bucket is full and still water

02:33is going and we are not bothered about water.

02:38But in jail, I struggled for 20 days to take a, once I got order from court for a hot water

02:45bath.

02:59I was called at 7 o'clock by jailer and I was told, letter aagaya hai.

03:04And I was like, I didn't understand what letter aagaya hai.

03:08She told, tumhara packet aagaya hai.

03:11I was like, kaunsa packet?

03:12So she told, letter, memo.

03:14And I was so, arey, I jumped.

03:17So finally today I am going to really get released from this place.

03:25People become judgmental about a person going to prison.

03:30We are labelled as, for what we have gone.

03:34Suppose I was, you know, accused in murder case.

03:39So it is labelled that she is murderer.

03:41Actually society should accept, everyone should be given second chance.

03:45Whether they have done or they have not done, that's a secondary thing.

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