Most People Cannot Survive The Newly Launched '24 Hours In Jail' Tourism Program In Telangana

While techies were among the first lot of curious visitors who turned up for the 'Feel the Jail' programme at Sangareddy prison in Medak, not many seem interested any more. In last two months, only one techie from the city took this journey and spent 24 hours in the 200-year-old prison. The unique programme was rolled out by deputy SP of District Central Jail M Lakshmi Narasimha in June this year.

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"I was curious to experience how staying in a prison feels like. That one day in jail made me feel how terrible and depressing it might be for them. They had taken away all my belongings and I was locked up inside at 6pm. They opened the cell only at 6 am the next day. Imagine having to attend to nature's call in the small cell!" said Samrat Rangu. The software professional has sworn never to go back again.

While it wasn't as bad for the debut visitors, they too admit that it wasn't an experience they would want to repeat. " Although it was a weird experience, we managed to enjoy it by interacting with fellow prisoners. I wouldn't do it again though," confessed Nitish Reddy, whose recently floated a software start-up.

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He, along with his friends Rishab Khandelwal and K Raghuram, stayed in the jail for 24 hours and even did the mandatory labour work (cutting tree branches) along with other prisoners.

But while techies have lost interest, other curious visitors continue to make their way to Sangareddy to get a taste of the 'jail life' for a fee of Rs 500 for 24 hours. These include top government officers who have even flown in from Puducherry and Pune to spend their day in jail.

Assistant commissioner (sales tax) from Pune, Vijaykumar Bothe, went to the museum after reading about jail tourism online. Being deeply inclined towards spirituality, he had hoped it would be an opportunity to explore himself more. " Although I am used to solitude, loneliness was imposed here.

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I would never want to be in that situation again," he said, adding he did feel at peace after the stay. An official from Central Coffee Board is among the recent visitors. However, authorities said that less than half of the visitors were able to stay for the entire 24-hour period, while others chickened out within a few hours.

"Of the total 12 people who had opted for the stay, only five could stay for 24 hours," said Santosh Kumar Rai, in-charge of jail museum.

The unique jail museum has, meanwhile, managed to generate curiosity far and wide with at least 500 students touring the museum in the last three to four months. A 20-member delegation from Bangladesh also visited. They hope to replicate the model at the Dhaka Museum, said jail authorities.