Bengaluru Central Prison to be split into 3 sections amid overcrowding, security concerns

The Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara, Karnataka’s largest correctional facility, is undergoing a major restructuring with plans to split it into three separate prisons on the same campus. The move aims to segregate undertrials, convicts, and women inmates in a bid to enhance security and streamline prison administration.

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Currently accommodating over 5,000 inmates—well above its sanctioned capacity of 4,200—the prison houses approximately 3,900 undertrials, 1,000 convicts, and 250 women. Until now, only women prisoners had a separate building within the complex. The overcrowding and mingling of different categories of inmates have raised serious concerns, including the risk of radicalisation and criminal networking.

Authorities cited past instances where high-risk convicts allegedly influenced undertrials, leading to the formation of terror modules in Bengaluru. The segregation plan is expected to address these vulnerabilities by creating distinct, walled-off units with separate entrances and dedicated administrations for each category of prisoner.

The decision follows a series of controversies, including allegations of preferential treatment to high-profile inmates, such as actor Darshan, intensified demands for reform.

Renovation work is currently underway, including construction of new walls and control measures. Eventually, each prison unit will have independent facilities, including separate control rooms and hospitals.