THRISSUR: Hardened criminal Govindachamy was moved from Kannur Central Prison to the high-security Viyyur Central Prison at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. He has been placed in solitary confinement in the ground-floor cell labelled GF-1. He will not be allowed to leave the cell; food will be provided inside. On Saturdays, mutton curry is served, and this meal was provided to him, according to the prison superintendent.
Although CCTV cameras are installed, arrangements have been made for continuous monitoring. The Prison DGP has ordered special surveillance for a few days.
The high-security prison, constructed at a cost of Rs 36 crore, commenced operations on July 3, 2019. It has the capacity to house 536 inmates; currently, there are 125 prisoners.
Govindachamy was previously lodged at Viyyur during the initial phase of his death sentence for the case in which he assaulted and murdered a girl by pushing her out of a train at Cheruthuruthi, Thrissur. He was later transferred to Kannur as the high-security facility had not yet been completed at that time.
60 solitary cells
The prison has 60 solitary cells intended for housing hardened criminals, of which around 20 remain vacant. Each cell is 4.2 meters high and equipped with a fan, a bed, and CCTV surveillance. Prisoners cannot see or speak to others in neighbouring cells. Even for meals, inmates are not taken outside the cells.
The prison’s perimeter wall is 6 meters high with a circumference of 700 meters, topped with a 10-foot electric fence. Four watch towers, each 15 meters tall, are situated at the four corners outside the wall, manned round the clock by armed guards.