Muktsar jail sets example in reforming inmates

Abuzz with activities

• A host of activities — from yoga to playing music instruments and performing bhangra, learning stitching, typing, Urdu, screen printing, gardening, etc. — take place on thejail premises
• Inmates can, therefore, channelise their energy in a constructive way

Prisoners meditate inside the Muktsar sub-jail on Wednesday. Tribune photo

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 17

While most of the prisons in the state are infamous for one or the other reason, the sub-jail in Muktsar is setting an example by starting a number of activities to reform its inmates.

Though it has more than double its capacity of 69 inmates, the authorities are ensuring reformation activities for all its 145 inmates. These include meditation, yoga, bhangra, tailoring, gardening, education, typing in Punjabi, hair dressing, playing tabla and harmonium and screen printing of cards.

The jail has 77 undertrials and 68 convicts, who begin the day with the recital of Japji Sahib’s “path”, followed by yoga class for an hour till 8 am. Thereafter, inmates meditate for about 20 minutes and then they have their breakfast.

Kulwant Singh, Deputy Superintendent, Sub-Jail, Muktsar, said, “Yoga and meditation have decreased the need of medication among inmates. Earlier, a general check-up of 35 to 40 inmates was being done every day. However, medication is now required for only four or five inmates.”

He said nearly 20 inmates had shown their willingness to study and they were being taught inside the jail from 10.30 am to 11.30 am. Some of them are also learning Urdu. Notably, jail inmates are provided education by their co-inmates.

The inmates are sent to their barracks around 12 noon. They stay there till 3 pm.

“Prisoners are also human beings. They too possess some good qualities. There is a need to identify their good qualities and channelise their energy in the right direction,” said Kulwant Singh, who took charge as the jailer here about three months ago.

In the evening, inmates are given training in musical instruments such as tabla and harmonium. Besides, a few of them are learning the techniques of tailoring from an inmate. “Our staff keep an eye on them when they are engaged in any task to ensure that no untoward incident takes place,” said Kulwant Singh.

Some inmates have even started ironing clothes. Some people have donated books to set up a library inside the jail. Further, an inmate helps the authorities with clerical work, as the jail does not have any clerk. “We have no pendency of computer-related work just because an inmate is helping us with it. Though a clerk from Bathinda jail is given additional charge, he comes once a week,” said Kulwant Singh.

He said, “Being the sub-jail, there is no provision of paying wages to inmates for the work being done by them. Moreover, wages have to be paid if they work for eight hours a day. We get work from them just to keep them busy and that too for nearly three hours a day.”

Before sending them back to their barracks around 7.45 pm, the “path” of Rehraas Sahib is recited.

Courtesy: The Tribune