Chennai: A week after jail officials motivated convict prisoners at Puzhal jail to participate a weekly 12-km marathon, more than 250 convicts, including a former IAS officer and CISF man now languishing in Puzhal facility, along with jail staff from all nine central prisons in the state, participated in mini marathon conduced in the nine prison premises on Sunday .
The staff and convicts, who are interested in maintaining their fitness and looking forward to a healthy life ahead, were advised by jail authorities to participate in a walking schedule of one hour a day and run a weekly mini marathon.
“It helps them to lead a stress free and healthy life. We are advising the staff in the prisons also to actively participate in walking and running schedules,” said ADGP Dr C. Sylendra Babu, who is currently heading TN prisons.
Jail officials said that daily walking and weekly running schedules are aimed at injecting freshness in the life of the convicts, who have lonely, depressing schedules inside cells.
A good number of jail inmates are depressed because their appeal petitions have been rejected by courts or because no relatives are visiting them and sometimes because of the dull jail atmosphere.
Walking and running may help infuse fresh energy into their life. Prisoners of foreign nations lodged in Puzhal also participated in the mini marathon on Sunday, an officer added.
Jail officials are also planning to train inmates in marching practice by army officers with a view to infuse discipline to their life. The mini marathon also took place in other central jails like Coimbatore, Tiruchy etc. There was very good response at the Cuddalore Central Prison, wphich is one of the oldest and largest jails in Tamil Nadu. The mini marathon was flagged off by the DSP and several jail officials and policemen also participated in it.
