SANGLI

Police & Judiciary

Last updated on 5 November 2025. Help us improve the information on this page by clicking on suggest edits or writing to us.

Sangli district has a well-structured network of police stations strategically positioned across major towns, talukas, and key areas, including Sangli city, Miraj, Tasgaon, Jat, and Islampur. The district police play a crucial role in maintaining law and order, ensuring public safety, and managing traffic, especially in commercial and densely populated zones.

Police stations in Sangli district. Source: Google Earth (Sept. 2023)

Jail System

Sangli Jail, also referred to as Ganesh Fort, is historically significant, particularly during India's independence movement. It became a notable site for various events, most famously the escape of revolutionaries on July 24, 1943.

On that day, a group of revolutionaries, including Hindurao Patil and Vasantrao Patil, executed a daring escape. They cleverly utilised their time outside for defecation to hatch their plan. Vasantrao Patil managed to seize a guard's weapon, which allowed the group to overpower the jail guards and flee. Their escape led to a dramatic chase involving 125 police officers and army vehicles. Unfortunately, some revolutionaries were shot during the attempt, while others were recaptured shortly thereafter.

Another significant aspect of Sangli's penal history is Swatantrapur, established in 1939 by Raja Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi. This unique custodial colony permitted well-behaved prisoners to live with their families and engage in farming activities, emphasising rehabilitation over punishment.

Today, Sangli Jail operates as a District Prison Class-II within Maharashtra’s prison system, primarily housing habitual offenders serving sentences longer than three months.

The history of Sangli Jail has also inspired cultural representations, most notably the Hindi film Do Aankhen Barah Haath. This film draws from the experiences at Swatantrapur and emphasises themes of reform and redemption within the penal system.

Graphs

Criminal Cases

Police Infrastructure and Workforce

Judicial System

Courts in Sangli district. Source: Google Earth (Sept. 2023)

Sources

Pawbake, Vijay Balasaheb. May 15, 2024 - May 15, 2026. Escape of Revolutionaries from Sangli Jail. Sangli, Maharashtra.https://moc.php-staging.com/digital-district…

Wikipedia. Swatantrapur. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swatantrapur