296 Life Convicts Released
The City Police Commissioner, K.C. Mahali, on Monday exhorted the 296 life convicts who were released on remission of sentence (to mark the birth centenary of former Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai) to start a new life on discharge. He also handed over rehabilitation assistance such as sewing machines, iron boxes, wet grinders and utensils to the prisoners sponsored by various voluntary organisations.Mr. Mahali said that the prisoners should conduct themselves in such a way that society gets the message that the prisoners had changed and have gone through reformation. “Start a new life, prisoners of yesterday could be achievers of tomorrow”, he said. Sharon Old Age Home at TVS Nagar had adopted three aged prisoners, Poppies Group Tirupur provided new dress materials to all the 296 prisoners, Prof. Rajagopal, Coimbatore District Discharged Prisoners Aid Society, Bethel Fellowship Trust, Lions Club of District 324 B 1, Kerala Cultural Academy and Kovai Thyagi G.P. Velan Trust had provided as many as many as 13 sewing machines.
Fourteen iron boxes by Prison Ministry of India, Lions Club, Arts and Cultural Centre and four wet grinders were also provided to the prisoners. Dr. M. Ramalingam gave away 300 books to the prison library. A security guard job for one of the prisoners was also provided. Those willing to rear goats were provided with funds for buying and rearing 100 goats. Ranjith Blessings Catering provided job for 20 prisoners, 13 prisoners were provided with employment in power loom, eight were provided with dry cleaner employment and two were given assistance for starting a saloon and watch repair shop. Bishop Appasamy College of Arts and Science imparted training in catering to 51 prisoners and provided them with certificates.
A deaf and dumb prisoner who could not walk freely was provided with a financial assistance of Rs. 10,000 by Kerala Cultural Academy and Kovai Thyagi G.P. Velan Charitable Trust. Prof.M. Padmanabhan, Co-ordinator of Bharatiar University, Superintendent of Prisons (in charge), P. Govindarajan, Rotarian K.A. Kuriachen, Lion Manoharan, Zonal Probation Officer, Chandran took part.
