HYDERABAD: A fauji's son may become a fauji, a doctor's son a doctor and an actor's son also an actor. That's all fine. But lately, a disturbing trend has been noticed. A criminal's son is turning a criminal. And there are many instances of that. With their fathers in jails and with the family needing money to survive, it has been found that the sons of the convicts are resorting to crime and landing in jail - just like their fathers.

According to prisons department sources, those following their fathers to prisons are mainly from some notorious areas, some of which are also in Hyderabad. With this social trend being noticed, an attempt is now being made to wean away the youth from the criminal path that their fathers chose to or happened to land in it - by design or by default.

In what is being described as perhaps a first of its kind initiative in the country, the Child Welfare Committee of Ranga Reddy District (a bench of magistrates) will take up the responsibility of helping the families of convicts so that the children do not have to resort to crime to make both ends meet. Central Prison, Cherlapalli superintendent K Venkateshwar Reddy identified 76 convicts who have sought help for their families. The committee chairperson V Padmavathi, and other members spoke to each of the convicts and found out from them what the needs of their families were.

It is learnt that those resorting to crime are sons of mainly murder convicts who are serving life term in jails - not just in Hyderabad but other jails in Telangana. Most of the convicts who the Child Welfare Committee spoke to were keen that their children's education be taken care of. Some self-employment opportunities will also be provided to the spouse of the convict and also other members of the family.

Cherlapalli prison has more than 2,000 inmates. Some NGOs and individuals have also come forward to help the convicts families on coming to know from prison authorities about the measures being taken for the welfare of convicts families. "The man who has committed the crime is undergoes imprisonment as punishment. Because of him being in the prison, the family of the prisoner also suffers a lot of hardship in the society. Because of the stigma attached, people do not even come to the family's help," a jail official said.

The initiative that has begun in Central Prison, Cherlapalli to assist families of convicts so that they can earn their livelihood and no one resorts to crime in the family again, is also being planned to be undertaken in others jails in Telangana.

Source: TOI