From jail to 'decent jobs': Life takes turn for 2 Tihar inmates

 Spending some years of their lives as undertrials for crimes like robbery and murder, two inmates of Tihar jail selected in the 'first-ever' campus placement in the prison are now working and living a life of dignity they once dreamt of.

40-year-old Sandeep Bhatnagar and 23-year-old Gaijoao Mei George, who were lodged in Tihar prisons are now so busy with their jobs that they hardly get time to even socialise.
George is working as a research assistant with 'JRA and Associates' while Bhatnagar has joined the 'Agarwal Packers and Movers Ltd' as their marketing executive for the past one and a half month.

Both had received job offers from more than one companies during campus placement held inside the Prisons on February 25 this year, Neeraj Kumar DG Tihar Prisons said.

Bhatnagar, an undertrial for the past five years is now released on bail and George has been acquited by the court.

"I always thought life would be hell after being released from Tihar...making a living would be impossible but the campus placement was a blessing.

"I am grateful to the DG Tihar Prisons and my jail superintendent, who really thought for our welfare and undertook this big move to get us employed," George said.

Now residing in Gurgaon, George starts off for his work at nine in the morning.
"After I came out I realised all my speculations were wrong. My landlord has no hesitation to have a tenant who was in jail for some time.

When asked if George had friends and socialised with them, he said, "I am too busy for socialising as of now."

Echoing the same, Bhatnagar said, "For me it is work and I am happy with it. I am trying my level best to meet the expectations of my employers. It is now very important for me to bring back people's faith in me...the faith which got tarnished because of my jail stay."
The DG Prisons said, "We are happy that two of our inmates are making a decent living. Their well being is our aim. I am proud of the companies which recruited them without any hesitation. We are hopeful that George and Sandeep will keep up to our expectations.

"Our credibility and the future of other inmates in the next campus placement is now dependent on them, " Kumar said.