Hyderabad: After spending 12 years in jail, former chain snatcher Marineni Raju, 35, is a changed man today, thanks to the Cyberabad police.
After counselling, Raju, who hails from Marriguda of Nalgonda, decided that he had had enough of crime and the Cyberabad police decided to help him.
The police provided funds for a tea stall and Raju made a new start. Cyberabad police commissioner C.V. Anand inaugurated the tea stall at ECIL crossroads.
Today, Raju has paid off his debts. “I do two jobs now. I drive an autorickshaw during the day while my wife looks after the tea stall. And at night I run the tea stall,” says Mr Raju.
Like him, the lives of three others, who had spent several years in jail, have changed completely.
They have opened small businesses in Uppal and Kushaiguda. cops still keep a watch on them to make sure that they are doing well and that criminals from their past do not pester them.
When deterrence proved to be futile, rehabilitation provided the solution. Cyberabad police has started taking small steps towards humanitarian policing by rehabilitating four notorious criminals.
Soon after the four were released, the cops convinced them to start a new chapter and offered financial support.
Senior cops say they are in talks with SC/ST and minority commissions to get loans for reformed criminals.
“If we are convinced that the ex-offenders are ready to change, we will help them to start small ventures,” said Dr B. Naveen Kumar, deputy commissioner of police, Cyberabad CCS.
