In a first, TN prison chief has food with jail inmates during inspection

In a first in the history of Tamil Nadu prisons, the head of the department, Amaraesh Pujari had food with inmates of the Puzhal Central Jail here on Thursday.

In a first in the history of Tamil Nadu prisons, the head of the department, Amaraesh Pujari had food with inmates of the Puzhal Central Jail here on Thursday. The Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu Prisons and Correctional Services, Amaraesh Pujari, during his visit to the prison, sat on the floor and partook lunch along with convicts.

A senior state prison official told PTI: ''The DGP listened to the grievances of prisoners, he discussed with us measures aimed at the welfare of jail inmates, the staff and steps needed to be taken for further modernisation of prisons.'' The official said that this is the first time in the history of the central prison here that a head of the department, had food along with convicts during his visit. The central prison in Chennai is over 160 years old and the old jail near the Madras Medical College was closed down and demolished over a decade ago. It was shifted to a sprawling campus at Puzhal on the outskirts of the city. From then onwards, it is known as Puzhal Central Prison.