Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay Inspects Puzhal Central Prison, Urges Inmate Rehabilitation

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay visited Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai on Friday, where he inspected facilities and instructed authorities to provide inmates with opportunities for rehabilitation, education, and vocational training based on their individual interests.

During his visit, the Chief Minister interacted with several inmates and emphasized the importance of reading, directing prison officials to ensure that adequate books are made available to them.

A prison official noted that Vijay expressed sympathy toward the inmates during the interaction. The official stated that the Chief Minister observed that many prisoners ended up there due to their circumstances, drawing a distinction between an unintentional mistake and deliberate wrongdoing, while asking the department to create pathways for reform.

Accompanied by senior prison officials, the Chief Minister inspected three sections of the complex housing undertrial prisoners, convicts, and women prisoners. He inquired about the existing amenities directly from inmates, visited the prison kitchen to inspect food quality, and reviewed the clothing storage area alongside the medical facilities.

The inspection followed discussions in the state assembly regarding the prison department's demand for grants. The government has recently sanctioned additional body cameras for prison personnel and introduced a new stitching allowance for prison staff.

According to prison department data, a total of 23,608 inmates are currently lodged in 125 prisons across Tamil Nadu, including nine central prisons. Among the state's prison population, 2,076 inmates are illiterate, 1,317 are graduates, and 323 hold postgraduate degrees.