Prisons are being transformed from punitive institutions to one of reformation, says Minister

The Department of Prisons and Correctional Services in Tamil Nadu has been providing nutritious food, library facilities, and industrial training to prisoners that helped them earn well, said Minister for Law S. Regupathy here on Monday

The Department of Prisons and Correctional Services in Tamil Nadu has been providing nutritious food, library facilities, and industrial training to prisoners that helped them earn well, said Minister for Law S. Regupathy here on Monday.

The Minister was a chief guest at the passing out parade of 140 newly recruited Grade -II Prison Warders, including eight women, at the parade ground near the Tiruchi Central Prison.

Mr. Regupathy said the department had been working to transform prisons from punitive to reformatory institutions. Prisoners had been provided with industrial training to facilitate them earn while in jail.

According to a press release, the trainees were imparted basic training programme for six months at the Jail Warders Training School situated near the Tiruchi Central Prison on the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and the Prison Manual. They were trained in yoga, silambam, karate, disaster management, forensic sciences, and first aid.

Director-General of Prisons and Correctional Services Maheshwar Dayal, Deputy Inspector-General of Prisons, Tiruchi Range, K. Jayabharathi, and senior officials participated at the function.

To a question on the condition of Santhan alias Suthenthiraraja, one of the freed convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Minister said the State government had taken steps to provide him with proper treatment.