RANCHI: Two former Maoist commanders who renounced violence and returned to the mainstream tied the knot at Hazaribagh Open Jail on Wednesday in a wedding organised by the police and district administration as a humanitarian initiative to support their rehabilitation.
The wedding of Suresh Singh Munda and Somwari Hembram is possibly the first instance of inmates getting married inside an open jail in Jharkhand while serving their sentences.
Suresh, a native of Baruhatu in Ranchi’s Bundu area, and Somwari, who hails from Arahanga in Tamar, were once active members of extremist outfits before giving up arms and choosing to rejoin mainstream society.
The police and district administration facilitated the wedding following directions from DGP Tadasha Mishra.
Congratulating the couple, Jail IG Sudarshan Kumar Mandal said the state was committed to ensuring a dignified life for those who chose peace over conflict.
“Several other initiatives are also being actively taken to help surrendered Maoists smoothly reintegrate into the mainstream of society,” Mandal said.
The initiative aims to support surrendered Maoists in rebuilding their lives and reintegrating into society, he added.
Attracted by the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, the couple laid down their arms and were serving their sentences at the open jail while undergoing social reintegration.
To ensure the couple experienced the warmth of family on their special day, senior police officers and district officials stepped in as relatives of the bride and groom. They welcomed the couple according to traditional wedding customs and presented them with gifts.
Hazaribagh District Marriage Officer Rajesh Ekka completed the couple’s marriage registration at the venue, giving the union legal recognition.
Officials said the initiative highlighted the importance of rehabilitation measures for former extremists in Jharkhand. Reintegration, they said, extends beyond security operations and law enforcement, with social acceptance, legal recognition and the opportunity to lead a normal family life playing equally important roles in helping former Maoists rebuild their lives and rejoin mainstream society.