Of retribution and roll calls: Life inside Tihar

Tucked away in West Delhi, Tihar Central Jail is far more than a detention centre.

Home to some of India’s most notorious figures - from underworld don Chhota Rajan and gangsters Neeraj Bawana, Kala Jathedi and Majit Mahal to separatist leader Yasin Malik, former MP Engineer Rashid, and even former Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar - its high walls conceal a unique ecosystem that functions on its own rhythms and rules where discipline, work and rehabilitation intertwine.

Spread across nine sub-jails, Tihar houses over 13,000 inmates, far exceeding its official capacity of around 5,200. Yet, life inside follows a strict, regimented schedule. At 6 am, prisoners line up for roll call before heading to breakfast at 7 am — usually porridge, chapatis and tea or sometimes milk.

Some cook in communal kitchens, others work in the jail’s bakery, carpentry workshops or its in-house industry, TJ’s, producing paper goods, textiles and furniture for government offices and private buyers. For many, these tasks provide not only structure but also a sense of purpose in otherwise confined lives.

Lunch is served at 11 am, followed by meetings, classes or vocational activities for inmates living in normal cells. Security is rigorous - CCTV surveillance, metal detectors and round-the-clock monitoring by jail staff and Delhi Police ensure order.

High-risk prisoners such as Rajan or Malik are kept in isolation, allowed movement only under strict supervision, and never permitted to interact with other inmates, their days structured around food, roll call, and tightly controlled exercise sessions. Yet, Tihar is not solely about confinement and discipline. Rehabilitation remains a central focus. Literacy classes, vocational training, yoga and meditation sessions aim to help inmates rebuild skills and mindsets for life beyond bars.

Music, theatre and art programmes give prisoners creative outlets, offering both solace and a rare sense of freedom within the prison walls. Some inmates even participate in community outreach projects, using their time to give back and develop empathy and leadership skills.

The authorities also remain vigilant against contraband, conducting frequent searches and employing mobile jammers to curb smuggling of phones, narcotics and other illicit items.

Behind its imposing walls, Tihar is a world of routine, work and quiet transformation - a microcosm where strict order and rehabilitation coexist, and where inmates navigate a complex ecosystem that mirrors society itself in miniature.