Pune: A 40-year-old man, who spent five years in jail after being charged with culpable homicide of his wife, is now a happy man as he has been able to start a new life by setting up a salon in Sangli district with the help of the Maharashtra prison department and social organisations.
A programme to announce the formal opening of Santosh Atkar's salon was held on Tuesday at the state prison department's office in Pune, where Additional Director General (prisons) Atulchandra Kulkarni was present.
In 2013, Atkar and his wife had a quarrel at their home in Pandharpur town of Solapur district, following which the woman accidentally fell from stairs. She received injuries and was admitted to a hospital where she died after some days.
The man was charged with culpable homicide and awarded six years of imprisonment by a court in 2016.
Atkar told PTI that while serving his sentence at the Yerawada prison in Pune, he used to work as a barber in the jail. He also worked at a salon shop set up in Yerawada area by the prison authorities.
"I wanted to start a new life after walking out of jail and received help through a project which focuses on rehabilitation and reformation of prisoners," Atkar said.
With the help of the prison department and NGOs Bhoi Pratishtan and Adarsh Mitra Mandal, he has now set up a salon in Jat tehsil of Sangli district to earn his livelihood.
Atkar thanked the prison department and the social organisations for helping him start a new life.
ADG Kulkarni said after serving jail terms, prisoners are eager to join the mainstream and all they need is a positive response from the prison department and society.
"Prisons should not just remain jails, but become reform homes," he added.
