The Presidency Correctional Home, formerly known as the "Old Alipore Jail," holds historical significance as Bengal's first central prison. During British rule, it served as a place of confinement for political prisoners who played pivotal roles in India's struggle for freedom. Among the prominent figures incarcerated here were Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Birendra Kumar Ghosh, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sarat Chandra Bose, Bina Das, Suhasini Ganguli, Kamala Dasgupta, Lila Roy, Ujjal Majumdar, Prafulla Chandra Sen, Kanailal Dutta, Satyendra Nath Gupta, Gopi Mohan Saha and many others.
Construction of the jail commenced in 1810, with the transformation into a central prison occurring in 1860 and 1870. The Old Alipore Jail was one of the country's largest penal institutions, comprising three interconnected rectangular structures forming a U-shaped complex. This complex was divided into twelve substantial wards and enclosed by an outer wall. A 213-foot-by-164-foot water tank adjoined the two cook rooms in the central courtyard, while a reservoir held water for drinking and washing in a separate section of the premises. The initial construction cost was 100,397 rupees.
This prison also served as a holding facility for convicts awaiting transportation or lifelong deportation sentences, awaiting their departure by ship. In 1865, modifications were made to manage the limited space, and the Great Jail and the House of Correction, initially separate entities within the same walls, were merged. In the 1870s, further enhancements were made, classifying the general population according to age, health, dangerousness, and habitual behaviour.
In 1913, the newly constructed Alipore Jail, located on Judges Court Road along the Adi Ganga River, adopted a radial layout similar to the Bhagulpore district jail. Alipore Central Correctional Home, constructed in 1906, gained recognition for housing prominent figures from the pre-independence liberation movement. The massive red brick building, visible beyond the imposing iron gates, exemplified colonial-style architecture.
The authorities at the jail have diligently preserved the sacred memory of the nation's heroes. The gallows and adjacent cells, known as condemned cells, where prisoners awaited execution, stand as solemn reminders of the liberation fighters who became martyrs after being hanged at Alipore Central Jail's gallows. This includes Anantahari Mitra (1926), Promod Ranjan Chowdhury (1926), Dinesh Gupta (1931), Ramkrishna Biswas (1931), and Dinesh Mazumdar (1934). Each year on Martyrs' Day (January 30), veteran freedom fighters and a large number of civilians, including students, pay their respects to these martyrs by placing flowers at the gallows. Since 23 September 2022, the New Alipore Jail has been converted into the Alipore Jail Museum, preserving and showcasing this rich history for generations to come.
Source : Manisha Tikader, Contributor for CCRT