Borstal School shifted to Nizamabad district jail for having only 1 inmate

Hyderabad: The only Borstal School, established in Nizamabad district in 1956 to reform seriously delinquent adolescents, has been shifted to the Nizamabad district jail as it had only one inmate.

For the last six years, the number of adolescents admitted at the school did not cross even five, prompting officials to shift the school to the district jail along with the inmate, Akbar, and staff last month. Plans have also been chalked out to shift the school to Cherlapally Central Prison instead of continuing it in Nizamabad, Prisons Department officials said.

According to the Borstal School Act-1925, if an adolescent aged between 18 and 21 committed an offence for the first time, which was not heinous in nature, there is a scope to correct his mentality. This can be done by sending him to the school instead of prison.

The court, which is hearing the case of the adolescent, is authorised to recommend him to undergo a sentence in the school based on separate reports submitted by the Investigating Officer (IO) along with the District Probationary Officer (DPO), who works under the Juvenile Welfare Board.

The reports submitted by the IO and DPO must be similar mentioning that the adolescent could be confined in the Borstal School and it was up to the court’s discretion to recommend him to the school or the prison.

DIG Prisons B Saidaiah said those in adolescent ages were sensitive and could be provoked easily. “If they are sent to prison like other criminals, chances of affecting their career are high.

To prevent this, British rulers introduced the Borstal School Act to provide education and vocational training to young offenders,” he said.

The young inmates would be released from the school once they turn 23 years old irrespective of the sentence. There were three Borstal schools at Nizamabad, Anantapur and Visakhapatnam in united Andhra Pradesh. But, about 20 years ago, the schools at Anantapur and Visakhapatnam were shut down as there were no inmates.

Since then, the school at Nizamabad has been catering to the needs of young inmates. The lone inmate, Akbar, was admitted to the school a year ago after he was convicted in a chain snatching case reported in Warangal district. Akbar is now undergoing vocational training in fan repairs, Nizamabad district jail Superintendent Kalasagar said.