From Rs 5 to 500, these Punjab jail inmates donate funds for Kerala flood relief

“At least 50 of our inmates have given Rs 5. The amount does not matter, what matters is their intention and that they felt the pain of our fellow countrymen in Kerala who need our help. I just told inmates two things- that people of Kerala are also our own and that such disasters can strike anywhere. So, we should help them. They were very positive and all inmates who had some money contributed for the cause. We managed to raise Rs 21,000 including my own and staff’s contribution. We have given money to Khalsa Aid as we saw their videos of serving langar to people in Kerala,” said Harpreet Singh.

Of the 260 inmates lodged in Patti sub-jail, at least 120 are undertrials or convicts in drug peddling cases, Singh said. “I am very proud that inmates of our jail gave positive response for the voluntary cause. They are also human beings and have feelings. They were very positive when I spoke to them first. Some of them took responsibility to collect funds from each barrack,” he said.

Gursahib Singh, a volunteer from Sikh philanthropist organization Khalsa Aid, who collected Rs 21,000 from Patti sub-jail on Tuesday, along with his team, said, “We are delighted that our aim to spread humanity and treat all humans as one, has also reached a jail where inmates raised funds for us. Seeing their praiseworthy decision, we came here to collect it and thank them.”