Kozhikode: Thakkijja, a word in maldivian language Dhivehi, means ‘go outside’. It is the word every prisoner in Maldives awaits to hear as it is uttered while an inmate becomes free.
Thakkijja will now become familiar for Malayalees, too, as the jail memoir of Jayachandran Mokeri, the English teacher in Maldives. The book was released on Sunday.
Writer T.P. Rajeevan gave the first copy of the book to Artist K. Shareef at a function held at National Higher Secondary School, Vattoly. The memoir portrays the terrible ordeal as a prisoner and the gross apathy of Indian High Commission (IHC) towards Indian citizens.
“The blatant violation of rights of an accused in Maldives is shocking. The settlement of cases involving judge, prosecution general, lawyers and police officers victimising the accused is stark,” he said.
Mr Mokeri, who has been in Maldives since 2007, was teaching at Faafu Atoll School under the ministry of education when he was picked up by the police on April 5, 2014, for abusing a 10-year old student.
The attempt to discipline the notorious student was fabricated and authorities pursued the case even after the student withdrew the plaint. It took active online campaign mobilising the public opinion for his release after eight months and 20 days.
He was sheltered in six cells at different places during the detention. His meeting with Rubeena, another victim and her subsequent release and the deportation of Nabeesa Beevi had found its place in the memoir. A new firm, Violet Books is the publisher. Writers Kalpetta Narayanan, V. Dileep, K.T. Soopy and others spoke.
