13 jail inmates dance their way into final

Berhampur: Their hard life in jail could not prevent their talents from blooming. Imprisonment was not a hurdle in their hobbies. Meet 13 inmates of Berhampur Circle Jail who, through their willpower and commitment, reached the final round at a national-level online dance competition organised by Kalantar Art Trust in Uttar Pradesh.

Interestingly, the dance was choreographed and performed by the prisoners itself. Dressed in white shirts and red neck ties, they danced to the tune of the famous song 'Kashmir Main, Tu Kanyakumari' from the blockbuster 'Chennai Express' starring Shah Rukh Khan.

"We went ahead with the practice for only 3 to 4 days after the permission of the DG Jails. The dance video was uploaded in the channel and it was a joyous moment for all the staff and inmates of the jail after we came to know that our inmates are in the final round," said Dhirendranath Barik, Superintendent, Berhampur Circle Jail. Their coordination, moves, choreography and perfect timing are brilliant, he said. It is a great achievement as this success could bring in great changes in their future course of life, said Barik.

Berhampur Circle Jail is one of the oldest jails in Odisha which was established in 1863 during the British era. The gallows, which is functional, is situated adjacent to the perimeter wall of this jail. The main objective of this jail is treatment of mentally ill patients and bring them back to the mainstream of society. Several reformative works have been undertaken to bring back the wrongdoers to the mainstream of the society.