CHENNAI: Inmates of Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai had a special visitor on Friday—chief minister C Joseph Vijay.After interacting with some of them, Vijay told the authorities to provide the inmates opportunities for rehabilitation, education and vocational training based on their interests. He stressed the importance of reading, and asked officials to ensure that prisoners get enough books.A prison official said Vijay was sympathetic of the inmates. “He said most prisoners were there because of their circumstances. He drew a distinction between an unintentional mistake and a deliberate wrongdoing, and asked us to create opportunities for inmates to reform,” the official said.The chief minister, accompanied by senior prison officials, inspected three sections of the prison complex that houses undertrial prisoners, convicts and women prisoners. He asked some inmates about the facilities. He visited the prison kitchen and inspected the food before moving on to the clothing storage area and medical facilities.The visit came after the prison department’s demand for grants was discussed in assembly. Govt had sanctioned additional body cameras for prison personnel and introduced a new stitching allowance for prison staff. According to prison department data, 23,608 inmates are lodged in 125 prisons across Tamil Nadu, including nine central prisons. Of them, 2,076 are illiterate, 323 are postgraduates and 1,317 are graduates.
