Nearly 13 years ago, Peter Sebastian (name changed) killed a man in coastal Karnataka at the behest of another. Despite the family’s pleas that the then 32-year-old was mentally challenged, he was convicted for life.
On Wednesday, as 108 prisoners, including 50 life convicts from Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara, were released, Peter walked out dazed and confused to meet his family. “We even wrote to the Chief Minister describing this case and asking for an early release...12 years is too long for him. His mental balance has become worse in prison. He has no future now,” said his brother, who said they would take him to their home in Udupi where they would send him for counselling.
While there was a sense of defeat and consternation for the family, for others, the early release, which was approved by the State cabinet earlier this year, has come as a new lease of life.
Mahalingappa (name changed) has spent more than a decade in jail completing three masters degrees: economics, history, mass communication. “I am a changed man, and now much more literate,” he says with some pride.
In order to ‘wash away his sins’, Bhuvaneswar (name changed) — who got a good conduct certificate for his work in the prison hospital — says he will take up farming to ‘do good by providing food to people’.
Of the 108 prisoners being released, 10 are women, and were approved for early release based on good conduct within the prison; 27 were life convicts, and all of them are either above the age of 65 or had completed more than 10 years in prison.
“These were crimes of passion and needed to be forgiven after due counselling and time in jail,” said Ramalinga Reddy, Home Minister.
Sister Fabioha, who volunteers to counsel inmates, said that many were perfect examples of rehabilitation of troubled people. “One of the prisoners was sentenced for dacoity. But he says that he was happy to have come here because he has realised what is important, and reconnected with his parents during this process,” she said.
H.S. Revanna, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons), said prison authorities would ensure the released prisons get identity cards (Aadhaar) and Jan Dhan accounts to ensure their integration into the mainstream. “The total capacity of the prison is 2,000, but we have more than 3,500 inmates. We are overburdened,” he said.