Class apart
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011052920110529031230114f61e0e5b/Class-apart.html
It was a testing time for an encounter specialist, blast accused and rape convicts who took an exam on spirituality inside Sabarmati Central Jail
Hemington.James
Religious fanatics, blast accused, rapists and murderers would ordinarily steer clear of a cop. Especially, if the cop in question happens to be suspended IPS officer D G Vanzara, who is (in)famously known as an encounter specialist.
Yet, all of them shared a special bonhomie in the tele-medicine room of Sabarmati Central Jail on Saturday, when 57 inmates including Vanzara appeared for an exam on ‘Value Education & Spirituality’. It is a post-graduate diploma course offered by Annamalai University in association with Brahma Kumaris.
The ‘students’, including eight accused in July 26, 2008 blast case, as well as accused in Bijal Joshi and Patan rape cases, were seated inside two rooms.
Hansi ke phuare
Nagori (L), sat next to Patan gangrape convict Mahendra Prajapati (R)
Dr Bhanu Patel (r) sat next to blast accused Mirza Ahmed Mirza Baig
Prisoners line up to collect their hall tickets
• The inmates were checked thoroughly to avert copying
• Vanzara greeted all prisoners appearing for the exam
When the inmates assembled in the ‘examination hall’, they exchanged wishes for luck. Even Vanzara, who is behind bars in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter, was seen greeting blast accused and other candidates.
The inmates were checked to avert copying. They were instructed to leave their footwear and study material outside the room. After being seated, Vanzara was seen cracking jokes and making other candidates laugh.
Testing times
Vanzara sat behind blast accused Shaikh Mubeen Kadar and Abbas Umar Sameja. On his left was blast accused Atiq Ur Raheman Khilji. Dr Bhanubhai Nanjibhai Patel, convicted for committing sexual offences, sat beside Mirza Ahmed Mirza Baig. Both Patel and Baig are MBBS doctors. While Patel has got his degree from B J Medical College in Ahmedabad, Baig had obtained his from a university in Bangalore in 2003.
Dharmendra Jain, who is one of the five convicted in Bijal Joshi gangrape case, sat on a bench ahead of Mubeen, a computer expert who had worked as a technical support adviser in an IT firm. Mubeen is said to have sent mails on behalf of Indian Mujahideen after blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi.
SIMI leader Safdar Nagori, who was brought from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the serial blasts, sat next to Mahendra Prajapati, a teacher convicted in the Patan PTC gangrape case.
The other blast accused who took the exam are Saiyed Rajamkiya, Jisan Ahmed and Sakib Neesar.
Taking a break
Not everyone who enrolled for the course appeared for the exam. Balkrishan Chaubey, another accused in Sohrabuddin encounter, was not present in the exam room. Seeing this, an examiner from Annamalai sent someone to call Chaubey. But the suspended ATS inspector told him: “Mood nathi (I am in no mood to take the exam).”
Sajal Jain (circled) and Dharmendra Jain, convicted in Bijal Joshi rape case, took exam in separate rooms
Ashwin Parmar, a teacher convicted in the Patan gangrape case, and Ashish Pandya, inspector accused in the Tulsi Prajapati encounter, also did not appear for the exam.
No discrimination
Asked about the presence of so many inmates in one room, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) P C Thakur said, “We do not discriminate between prisoners unless we feel there is danger or an inmate claims danger from another.”
Jail Superintendent R J Parghi said, “We had made necessary security arrangements.”
Programme co-ordinator B K Nandini, a Brahma Kumari, said: “We are happy that so many prisoners are taking interest in spiritual programmes. This will give them an opportunity to start life anew.”
It was a testing time for an encounter specialist, blast accused and rape convicts who took an exam on spirituality inside Sabarmati Central Jail
Hemington.James
Religious fanatics, blast accused, rapists and murderers would ordinarily steer clear of a cop. Especially, if the cop in question happens to be suspended IPS officer D G Vanzara, who is (in)famously known as an encounter specialist.
Yet, all of them shared a special bonhomie in the tele-medicine room of Sabarmati Central Jail on Saturday, when 57 inmates including Vanzara appeared for an exam on ‘Value Education & Spirituality’. It is a post-graduate diploma course offered by Annamalai University in association with Brahma Kumaris.
The ‘students’, including eight accused in July 26, 2008 blast case, as well as accused in Bijal Joshi and Patan rape cases, were seated inside two rooms.
Hansi ke phuare
Nagori (L), sat next to Patan gangrape convict Mahendra Prajapati (R)
Dr Bhanu Patel (r) sat next to blast accused Mirza Ahmed Mirza Baig
Prisoners line up to collect their hall tickets
• The inmates were checked thoroughly to avert copying
• Vanzara greeted all prisoners appearing for the exam
When the inmates assembled in the ‘examination hall’, they exchanged wishes for luck. Even Vanzara, who is behind bars in connection with the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter, was seen greeting blast accused and other candidates.
The inmates were checked to avert copying. They were instructed to leave their footwear and study material outside the room. After being seated, Vanzara was seen cracking jokes and making other candidates laugh.
Testing times
Vanzara sat behind blast accused Shaikh Mubeen Kadar and Abbas Umar Sameja. On his left was blast accused Atiq Ur Raheman Khilji. Dr Bhanubhai Nanjibhai Patel, convicted for committing sexual offences, sat beside Mirza Ahmed Mirza Baig. Both Patel and Baig are MBBS doctors. While Patel has got his degree from B J Medical College in Ahmedabad, Baig had obtained his from a university in Bangalore in 2003.
Dharmendra Jain, who is one of the five convicted in Bijal Joshi gangrape case, sat on a bench ahead of Mubeen, a computer expert who had worked as a technical support adviser in an IT firm. Mubeen is said to have sent mails on behalf of Indian Mujahideen after blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi.
SIMI leader Safdar Nagori, who was brought from Madhya Pradesh in connection with the serial blasts, sat next to Mahendra Prajapati, a teacher convicted in the Patan PTC gangrape case.
The other blast accused who took the exam are Saiyed Rajamkiya, Jisan Ahmed and Sakib Neesar.
Taking a break
Not everyone who enrolled for the course appeared for the exam. Balkrishan Chaubey, another accused in Sohrabuddin encounter, was not present in the exam room. Seeing this, an examiner from Annamalai sent someone to call Chaubey. But the suspended ATS inspector told him: “Mood nathi (I am in no mood to take the exam).”
Sajal Jain (circled) and Dharmendra Jain, convicted in Bijal Joshi rape case, took exam in separate rooms
Ashwin Parmar, a teacher convicted in the Patan gangrape case, and Ashish Pandya, inspector accused in the Tulsi Prajapati encounter, also did not appear for the exam.
No discrimination
Asked about the presence of so many inmates in one room, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) P C Thakur said, “We do not discriminate between prisoners unless we feel there is danger or an inmate claims danger from another.”
Jail Superintendent R J Parghi said, “We had made necessary security arrangements.”
Programme co-ordinator B K Nandini, a Brahma Kumari, said: “We are happy that so many prisoners are taking interest in spiritual programmes. This will give them an opportunity to start life anew.”
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