Tihar to look after its own

He has been in jail for seven years and is still friendless in a crowd of 50 inmates. For the past 11 months, no one from his family has made an effort to meet him.

He has been in jail for seven years and is still friendless in a crowd of 50 inmates. For the past 11 months, no one from his family has made an effort to meet him.

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Ram Kumar (name changed), a murder convict who is lodged in sub-jail two of Tihar prison, has given up his usual gregarious nature and pines for close ones and money to buy snacks and toiletries from jail canteens.

Soon, ‘Sparsh’, a prison project, may come to Kumar’s rescue.

“The project aims to provide succour to a group of around 2,200 Tihar inmates, who have not had any visitor in the last six months, and have thus been suffering emotionally and financially,” said Neeraj Kumar, director general, Delhi prisons.

A list of these 2,200 inmates was compiled in a jail survey, undertaken across 10 sub-jails.

“As part of Sparsh, the Tihar prison administration will provide goods worth R500 to an inmate, who has not got any visitors for at least six months. The inmate can spend this money to buy what he/she needs from jail canteens,” the DG said.

The Prisoners’ Welfare Fund will bear the project’s expenses. Sparsh, said the jail source, might not exactly make-up for what the inmates are missing, but can lessen their hardships.

Apart from a grant of R500, ‘Sparsh’ will also rope in non-governmental organisations to provide him/her with emotional support and counselling.

The Prisoners’ Welfare Fund will bear the project’s expenses. Sparsh, said the jail source, might not exactly make-up for what the inmates are missing, but can lessen their hardships.

Apart from a grant of R500, ‘Sparsh’ will also rope in non-governmental organisations to provide him/her with emotional support and counselling.