Jayaramaiah

BANGALORE: Sixty-six-year-old Jayaramaiah has nowhere to go.

He was released from Bangalore Central Prison on Tuesday after serving a term for 10 years. In this time, he has lost his property, some relatives, and his sense of self worth. He cannot go back to his village, as he fears social condemnation.

"My wife bemoans the huge debt that I have incurred in fighting my case which went up to the Supreme Court," he says. She does not have money to come to the prison and meet him, he adds.

A former Government employee, Jayaramaiah was convicted along with eight others for murdering a person over a financial dispute in 1992.

For a man of his age it is next to impossible to find a much needed job. "I do not know what I am going to do now. I do not want anyone to undergo such hardship," says Jayaramaiah, who is a native of Lingadahalli near Nelamangala.

Koppatanda Ganesh of Kodagu, another prisoner to be released, says the harsh realities that he has learnt about the life and the law during his term in prison will act as a deterrent henceforth.

"I have undergone the pains and also come to know the suffering of others living with me," he says.

He says nothing will prompt him to commit an act that will again land him behind bars. "Life will be difficult if any dispute enters courts," he adds.

Ganesh, who served sentence of ten-and-a-half years, has plans to cultivate his family land.

Baba Sharief Firoz, who has served nine years of imprisonment, is sure of not facing any ostracism either from his family or his neighbours.

"They know that I am innocent. They have received me well when I visited my place for brief periods during parole." He desires to open plumbing material shop.

Lunch with Chief Minister

Some among the 103 persons released from the Central Prison shared lunch with Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, as desired by the latter.

After having lunch, Mr. Kumaraswamy put his hand across a person and had this soothing advice: "Lead a good life in society... leave the past experience aside, have patience... it will yield good result."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail