For several years, villagers from the hamlet Mela Vella Madam and its surrounding regions travelled 40 kilometres to nearby Nazareth town in Thoothookudi district to purchase or repair electrical items. Three weeks ago, they were pleasantly surprised to find a small shop in the vicinity that would take care of their small requirements — from buying bulbs and tube lights to repairing fans and mixies.
The owner A Vedhamani is a life convict who spent 17 years in Palayamkottai Jail and had to overcome many obstacles to reach the place where he is today. Thanks to a compassionate understanding of his case and monetary help from the district administration, Vedhamani is finally living his dream — lead a decent life all over again.
“I always wanted to work and lead a simple, peaceful life like anybody else,” he says. But marriage turned his life upside down when his wife died and he was accused of murdering her in 1992 and convicted in 1996 for 21 years. “It was a dark period,” he says. During his days of confinement, Vedhamani says he only dreamt of clearing the mess in his life.
Born to farm labourers, he was brought up in nearby Chinna Madan Kudiruppu village, where he studied up to class VIII and trained himself as an electrician to earn a living. Last October, when the Chief Minister announced the release of life convicts in all districts as part of MGR Thiruvizha, Vedhamani found his freedom. But his days as a free man were tough. “I was filled with anxiety and depression and stayed with my sister who asked me to leave after two months,” he says.
Vedhamani didn’t have a place to live in and was too weak to do any manual labour but he was not one to give up easily. He worked as a rag picker and sold wastes to a junk dealer to earn his two meals. “I slept wherever I found place,” he says, “And even applied for a bank loan to set up an electrical shop.” His application was rejected.
“I was convinced nobody helps the poor,” says Vedhamani. And that is when he reached the Collector’s Office on a Monday in April for the Grievance Day Programme. “I gave him a petition seeking monetary help for setting up a shop.”
Thoothukudi District Collector Sandeep Nanduri says while talking to Vedhamani, he was touched by the frail man’s determination. He was unwilling to succumb to his circumstances. This prompted him to ask the Assistant Collector for a background check and soon ₹One lakh was sanctioned from the Collector’s discretionary funds.
More help poured in as other staff donated tables and shelves for the shop while the grant money was used in buying him electrical items of various brands, from cables and switch boards, to irons, LED bulbs and fans. In the last 15 days, he has sold three ceiling fans, over half a dozen lights and insulation tapes. The shop has put him in a happy space.
“I don’t sit idle if I don’t get a customer,” he says, already flooded with repair orders of tower fans and mixies. “I have nothing to worry now. I have my skills,” he says and adds, “I only wish I had a family of my own.”
