Pune: After 21 Years In Jail, Ex-Prisoner Gets Jersey Cow To Start Life Afresh

Mehab Qureshi

Pune, October 11, 2020: Nandu Shankar Pawar (64) of Ahmednagar district has served 21 years of his life in prison for a major crime he committed. However, justice has been served as Nandu has toiled all of his prime youth in the bunk of the Yerwada Central jail.

For many ex-prisoners, the most challenging time of their life is after they are released. Between finding a roof on their head, adjusting to the changes in society, the life for an ex-inmate can be pretty stressful.

This leads them to commit crimes again. Considering this, the Bhoi Foundation is trying to reverse the statistics, by providing jobs to ex-inmates and giving them the life they deserve.”If we treat ex-prisoners with love and respect, they won’t lead towards the path of crime again”, Dr Milind Bhoi, founder and president of the Bhoi Foundation, told Punekarnews.in.

Life has not been easy for Nandu’s children who have been raised by their uncle. “After serving his tenure in prison, we asked Nandu, what would he want to do after he is released?”, said Dr Bhoi.

Nandu responded, “I want to do something related to cattle farming, I want to sell milk and live the last few years of my life in peace”.

Bhoi Foundation along with Adarsh Mitra Mandal Pune has granted Nandu’s wish by organising a program today and offered him a ‘Jersey cow’ and a calf. “Through this initiative, the prisoners can start a new chapter in their lives, and spend the rest of their time making everything better. This initiative should not be limited to one jail in Pune but should be implemented across the state”, said Sunil Ramanand, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons and Correctional Services), who attended this event as well.

Through these cows, Nandu and his son Shyam will start a dairy business. “I could never imagine the amount of love and respect that I have got here”, wept Nandu in joy.

Earlier, under this initiative, former prisoners were given a shoe shop, a job in an orchestra as a singer, and they all have started a new life, informed Dr Bhoi.

On this occasion, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, Adv Pratap Pardeshi, Shirish Mohite, Shakuntala Satpute, Dr Hansraj Dembre, Rajendra Kadam, Suresh Kote, Bhausaheb Karpe, Kalpana Bhegade, and many others were present.