The first people to contribute books to the stall on Saturday night included District Collector K Karpagam, MLA for Perambalur M Prabhakaran, and Transport Minister SS Sivasankar.

PERAMBALUR: Visitors to the eighth annual book fair, which opened here on Saturday, come not only to buy their favourite published works but also to donate books to a stall set up by the state prison department called “Koondukkul Vaanam” (sky in a cage), which will then give them to the Tiruchy Central Prison library for inmates to read.

The first people to contribute books to the stall on Saturday night included District Collector K Karpagam, MLA for Perambalur M Prabhakaran, and Transport Minister SS Sivasankar. According to Tiruchy ranges DIG K Jayabharathi, “Our aim is to encourage reading among prison inmates and improve themselves in a positive way. We usually take books for them from the Tiruchy district library on a rotational basis. This time we are collecting books from the Perambalur book fair. We have received almost 200 books through the stall since Saturday evening.” Mentioning that reading can reduce jail inmates’ stress and get rid of their loneliness, the DIG further said, “Tiruchy Central Prison has a library with 2,000 books.

There, at least 200 prisoners read every day. Prisoners study biographies of leaders and Thirukkural and educate their fellow prisoners about them on their birthdays. Reading helps inmates become more knowledgeable and lessens their anxiety.
S. Gnanavel, a visitor, expressed surprise at seeing the “Koondukkul Vaanam” booth at the book fair and said, “Some become prisoners due to dire conditions. I think even one prisoner can be changed by excellent literature. I therefore presented the stall with a novel.