Former women prisoners allege that they were abused in jails in Tamil Nadu

Three former women prisoners have alleged that they were subjected to verbal and physical abuse including sexual assault, beatings, threats and intimidation by authorities.

The women, now out of prisons, spoke to reporters at a meeting organised by 'Campaign for Custodial Justice and Abolition of Torture", an NGO in Madurai.

The women said their life behind the bars in Nilakottai and Tiruchi was 'horrible' and there was violation of human rights and denial of adequate rights in prisons.

They alleged that detainees were often abused verbally and physically by jail authorities. Many in the prison were deprived of food, sleep, and medical care and they had no proper access to family members or to free legal counsel.

They said that some guards also demanded payment for food or better facilities.

Office bearers of the NGO said they would file a case shortly to implement a 2007 Madras high court order to prison officials and government on the facilities to be provided in jails.