Pune: No One Is Perfect In Life, Prisoners Must Get Chance To Reform – ADGP Atulchandra Kulkarni  

Pune, 21st September 2021: “No one is accurate in life so mistakes can be made. Since no one is born perfect, they make mistakes sometimes. After that, they have to go to jail and live with ‘stains’ for the rest of their life. Society does not get close to such persons. Is it right to blame him for life? The society must rethink about it,” said Atulchandra Kulkarni, Additional Director General of Police, Prisons & Correctional Services.

A hairdressing business was inaugurated at the prisons department headquarter in the Central Building today to support Santosh Atkar, a prisoner who has completed his sentence under the Prerna Path initiative jointly run by the Maharashtra prisons department and Pune-based Bhoi Pratishthan, Adarsh Mandal. Superintendent of Yerwada Jail Rani Bhosale, Adv. Pratap Pardeshi, Dr Milind Bhoi, Uday Jagtap of Adarsh Mandal, Shirish Mohite, Mahadev Kadgi were present.

ADGP Kulkarni said that reform service has become an important part of the prison administration. Studies are underway to find out what can be done for reforms. The government has also provided support for this. Prison events are currently closed due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID19) pandemic. But, we have to overcome this and try to take the programme through video conferencing. A Co-operative Bank has come forward to provide unsecured loans to inmates who have been released from prisons to stand on their own feet.

He hoped that the nationalised banks would follow suit to take the reform work further.

Bhoi Pratishthan President Dr Milind Bhoi said that the active participation of dignitaries in the last six years through the Prernapath project has led to positive changes in the prisoner brothers. After his release from jail, the prisoners are informed about the ongoing projects to stand on their own feet.

He said efforts were being made to implement the project across the country.

Santosh Atkare from Pandharpur had an argument with his wife. During the fight, his wife fell down the stairs and died during treatment. He had pleaded guilty in court in the case. Accordingly, the court had sentenced him to 10 years. He got a job as a hairdresser in the jail.

Atkare said that after his release from prison, the administration, Bhoi Pratishthan and Adarsh Mandal helped him plan his future by helping him start a salon.

“I am now making a fresh start in my life through the Sangli Hairdressing Centre so that the old memories do not haunt me,” said Atkare.