In this article, we explore the lived experiences of transgender individuals within the criminal justice system in India. We discuss the local specificities of how cisnormative policies impact prison governance, architecture, practices, and the unique struggles faced by transgender persons during incarceration. More importantly, we move beyond this framework to examine how the transgender body is intrinsically carceralised by connecting the perception and treatment of the transgender body in non-carceral environments. We elaborate on the concept of embodied carcerality, illustrating how transgender bodies are infused with elements of the carceral. This analysis demonstrates that comprehending the experiences of transgender individuals in incarceration necessitates moving beyond the physical sites of confinement, such as prisons or police lock-ups.
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