RAIPUR: A special bond that a girl shares with her father was much perceptible in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur Central Jail where an accused who is the first man in her life cried bitterly to see his 6-year-old daughter to be separated from him and embarking on a new journey. She walked out of jail to join one of the best private schools in the city, at the behest of the Bilaspur district collector Dr Sanjay Alang.
For a weeping father serving the jail sentence for a serious crime, it was indeed a happiness galore as her innocent daughter Kushi (name changed) first time was to see the world outside the jail.
When she was barely 15-day-old her mother died of jaundice and she had to live inside the jail after his father was convicted of rape and the women inmates took care of her as there was no one to take care for her.
The district collector, who during his jail inspection previous month, noticed the girl sitting quietly in a corner of the women cell barrack. “I reached out to this small girl and spoken to her. It’s pity she had to stay in jail for no fault of her. She expressed her wish to come out and keen to join a school to study. And I ensured the needful gets accomplished”, Alang told the Express.
Kushi apparently worked as a catalyst for the humane decision taken by the Bilaspur collector, who told that along with her there were 17 such children inside the prison.
“They all have been now admitted in good schools from the current academic session. It’s good that now various organisations are willing to sponsor their education till the graduation and bear the expenses of their stay in hostels”, the collector said.
Ironically what the Bilaspur collector did, was so far missed by his predecessors. Even the team of human rights organisation who visited the jail for their scrutiny and observations couldn’t think of such initiative in the interest of such lesser fortunate children.
On the first day of her joining the school Kushi looked quite excited as she came out of the jail to newfound freedom outside. The collector himself took Kushi in his official car from the jail to drop her in the school.
Ashok Agrawal, the director of the Jain International School where she got admission told that his institution will bear all expenses for Kushi including her stay in the school hostel. On a temporary basis, a caretaker has also been arranged for her.