Eid festival has been celebrated with great pomp in Kolkata’s most high profile and historical Presidency Jail. The jail administration also organized several programs for its prisoners on this special occasion. Also, special foods were included in the menu of afternoon and dinner.
Sources told Aaj Tak that around five hundred prisoners gathered in jail for namaz at 8.30 am on Monday morning. After the Namaz, all the prisoners and under consideration were hugged and congratulated each other on Eid. At around ten in the morning, the jail administration organized qawwali for the prisoners.
‘Joint team created for qawwali’
According to sources, ‘A joint team of prisoners and jail staff was formed for Qawwali. Only three members in the team played instruments, eight members including the remaining singers were prisoners in jail. Some of these eight members have serious allegations of involvement in heinous crimes like murder, drug and rape.
The source told Aaj Tak, “Keeping in mind the happiness of the prisoners, we have organized good lunch and dinner today so that the prisoners can eat good food on the occasion of Eid.”
Special lunch-dinner arrangements
The source claims that on the occasion of Eid, the lunch menu included rice, mix vegetables, special Bengali fish curry, chicken kosa, chutney, ice cream. Also, special mutton biryani, raita and solution (lemon and yogurt syrup) are placed in the dinner menu.
A high official said, ‘The most happy moment of the day was that all these foods were made and cooked by the prisoners themselves. He enjoyed cooking throughout the day.
Sources said that out of 1417 inmates of the Presidency Jail, about 900 people in jail beyond religious belief, caste or ethnicity participated in the program. According to the information, a total of 1417 prisoners are closed in Kolkata’s Presidency Jail, out of which 1030 are under consideration prisoners and 387 are guilty.