Prison inmates set up stall at Dasara exhibition in Mysuru

Moving from punitive justice towards reformation, Central Prisons across Karnataka are encouraging inmates to engage more in production activity. As part of the initiative, the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, Central Prison, Mysuru, opened a stall at Dasara Exhibition Ground on October 16 evening featuring a number of products manufactured by the inmates of Central Prisons in Mysuru, Belagavi, Dharwad, Ballari, and Vijayapura.

Under police supervision, two male inmates were present at the stall to sell their products that include mats, carpets, waist cloth, varieties of towel, bedsheets, kerchief, and other handwoven items.

Colourful diyas crafted by inmates inside the dark cells of prison greet the visitors at the entrance of the stall.

This year, the stall features a unique collection of shirts. Cotton shirts with a price tag of ₹1, 050, manufactured using materials sourced from Surat in Gujarat, will compete with similar premium products in the market., said officials.

Alok Kumar, DGP, Prisons and Correctional Service Department, told The Hindu, “This stall is not for namesake. Our products can compete with the best products (in the category). The labour put in by the prisoners offers the best products at a cheaper price,” he said while adding that, in the coming days, the inmates are likely to begin the manufacture of jute bags.

Products worth around ₹6.5 lakh are on display at the stall.

In 2025, prisoners’ stall generated revenue of ₹4,58,000.

Bakery on Wheel

Bakery items prepared by the inmates delighted visitors to the stall. The items include special rusk and 11 varieties of biscuits priced between ₹250 to ₹300 per kg. Bakery on Wheel generates revenue of around ₹30 lakhs per month, according to sources.

To maintain transparency, the stall accepts payment only through QR code. As soon as a customer makes a payment, DGP of Prisons and Correctional Service Department receives a notification on the payment made to the official bank account.

Art therapy for prisoners

Strongly advocating the mental wellness of prisoners, Alok Kumar said that maintaining mental and physical fitness is the biggest challenge for inmates. “Inside a dark cell, they can’t even see the sky,” he said

Painting prison wall is the new initiative as part of art therapy. The Department of Prisons and Correctional Services had collaborated with Chitrakala Parishath for conducting an art camp for inmates.

Also, in the first of its kind initiative, Tele MANASA mental health helpline offers a facility that helps inmates access them through a phone installed in STD booth like setup. The initiative is aimed at helping inmates get mental relief.  

A host of Police officials, including Superintendent of Police Anshu Kumar and Chief Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison Bangalore, K.C. Divyashree, DIG, South Zone, and V. Sheshumurthy, Superintendent, Central Prison, Mysuru, were present during the inauguration of the stall.