Rapist cop learns human rights in jail

Acting Kolhapur Jail superintendent M Kamble confirmed that More was taking a course on human rights and values. “It’s a three-month course conducted inside the jail by the Shivaji University at Kolhapur. It’s a basic course aimed mostly at people living in villages and semi-rural areas. According to the university, studies have shown that it is mostly people from these areas are unaware of human rights and values. It is also seen that lack of knowledge gives them an inferiority complex; thus, the course should help make them morally and ethically strong in society,” Kamble said.

The jail houses over 2,000 inmates; only 85 convicts opted to take the course. More was one of them; it was a voluntary decision, said Kamble.

More, who has been assigned the work of gardening in jail, is very keen on further studies. When he joined the police force he had completed only the Higher Secondary Exam (HSC).

Speaking to Newsline, More’s lawyer Prakash Wagh said, “Recently More had come out of jail on parole and we had a long discussion on his life in jail. He told me that he had taken up further studies and was also appearing for his First Year B (FYBA) exams being conducted by the Yashwant Rao Chavahan Maharashtra Open University.

The reason More cited for taking up the course was that he did not expect to get a job after his release from jail. He has been dismissed from the police force, so to earn a living, becoming a lawyer was the best option. He wanted to empower himself with qualifications to face the world, Wagh said.

More was arrested on April 21, 2005.