Amid raging protests by the Opposition parties in connection with the allegations raised by Swapna Suresh, one of the key accused in the diplomatic channel gold smuggling case, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated a new Central Prison and Correctional Home at Thavanur near Kuttippuram on Sunday.
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Security in the district was tightened like never before as the police dealt with the protesters with an iron first. The police displayed a rare detestation of black as they asked the people at the venue to remove black masks and blocked people wearing black shirts.
Protesters of the Youth Congress and the Muslim Youth League, who marched to the venue waiving black flags against the Chief Minister, were blocked at Mini Pampa and driven away by using water cannon. The police resisted the attempts of the protesters to break the barricade.
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Speaking after inaugurating the central prison, Mr. Vijayan said that the confinement of prisoners should be a period of correction rather than hardening the conviction. “Those coming out of the jail after their term of imprisonment should be able to make a decent living in society. The Jail department should take extra care in this,” he said.
Police dispersing Muslim Youth League and Youth Congress activists who protested against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Mini Pampa near Thavanur on Sunday. | Photo Credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN
Prisoners’ fund
The Chief Minister said that prisoners would be given training in jobs involving modern technology to ensure a better living condition for them. Announcing that a prisoners’ fund would be formed soon for their welfare, Mr. Vijayan called upon the officials to ensure a humanitarian approach in jails.
The Chief Minister felicitated Jail Superintendent K.V. Baiju, and nodal officer E. Krishnadas. K.T. Jaleel, MLA, presided over the function.
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Delivering the keynote address, Public Works Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said that jails should improve in accordance with the changes in a civilised society and that they should not be places helping the prisoners commit crimes again. He unveiled a plaque.
Sports Minister V. Abdurahman released a souvenir on the occasion. He said jails should help reform the inmates physically and psychologically.
The Thavanur jail is the first central prison constructed in the State after the formation of Kerala in 1957. It is the fourth central jail in Kerala and the 145th in the country. Constructed at a cost of ₹35 crore, the jail at Thavanur has three floors and can accommodate 706 prisoners.
Ponnani block panchayat president C. Ramakrishnan, Thavanur grama panchayat president C.P. Naseera, District Panchayat member Faisal Edassery, Thavanur panchayat vice president T.V. Sivadas, Additional Chief Secretary T.K. Jose, District Collector V.R. Premkumar, Director General of Police for Jail Sudesh Kumar, DIG M.K. Vinod Kumar, District Police Chief Sujit Das S., District Legal Services Authority secretary K. Noushad Ali, and North Zone DIG Sam Thankayyan were present.