THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For Christy and Princy a day with their father in childhood is a blurred memory. They never had a day with wholehearted happiness as their father has always been away from them.
Princy and Christy, the twin daughters of Sally Moses, an inmate of Central Prison, Poojappura, had a home-like feeling on Tuesday as they could spend hours with their father.The distribution of financial aid for education of children of prison inmates instituted by the Social Welfare Department turned out to be cherished occasion for the inmates and their family members.
Moses was lodged in the prison in a murder case twelve years ago. He had never gone on parole and for his 16-year-old daughters, a moment with their father was as precious as anything.
“We could not remember exactly when we had our father at home. We were able to visit him only a few times since our mother could not bear the expense of bringing us with her whenever she visited him,” said Princy and Christy.
Moses’ wife Saramma and mother Kunjamma were also with Christy and Princy.
“We cannot come every now and then to visit him. Physical ailments to financial crisis stand in our way,” said Kunjamma.
Many families, like that of Moses’s, had joyous moments on Tuesday as the prison authorities arranged the aid distribution as a get-together.
“During normal visits we get only a very little time to see and talk. Today, we could sit together, could talk a lot,” said Ambika of Mudavanamugal, whose husband is an inmate of the prison.
Children of 45 inmates received the financial aid for education. Cine artiste Ajayan (Guinness Pakru) inaugurated the get-together and distributed financial aid. Later, the inmates had lunch together with their family members.
Earlier, the function started with a magic show by Ammu, a teenager. Prison superintendent B Pradeep presided over the function.
ADIC India director Johnson J Edayaranmula and jail medical officer Dr Sreekumar, among others, attended. Jailor A G Suresh delivered the welcome address.