MALAPPURAM: The fourth central prison and correctional home of the state will start functioning from June 12 at Tavanur in Malappuram. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the prison in the presence of Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, Ponnani MP E T Mohammed Basheer, Malappuram MP Abdussamad Samadani and jail DGP Sudesh Kumar.
The prison was set up in 7.56 acres of land at a cost of `35 crore. It is the first central prison constructed by the state government. The other central prisons at Poojapura in Thiruvananthapuram, Viyyur in Thrissur and Pallikkunnu in Kannur were set up before the formation of Kerala state.
Baiju K V, superintendent of the central prison and correctional home, Tavanur, said as many as 706 people can be accommodated in the prison. “It is different from the other three central prisons in the state. The state government has arranged modern facilities here. The three-storey prison building has two special cells for transgenders, a modern kitchen, video conferencing hall and an administrative block. In the early months, 200 people, mainly from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts, will be detained in the prison,” he said. He also said the central prison will also function as a model correctional home.
“Certain circumstances make people commit crimes. The prison officials are also taking up the responsibility of changing the criminal mindset of the inmates by teaching them some ways to earn money through self-employment. We will be starting a food manufacturing unit in the prison and the inmates will be making the food items like biriyani,” Baiju said.