2 give affidavits for reforming; 1 succeeds

VELLORE: In a strange quirk of fate, two habitual offenders – one involved in ganja peddling with 6 cases pending against him and the other involved in waylaying in neighbouring Ranipet district gave singed affidavits to their respective RDOs about turning over a new leaf. While one succeeded the other was re-arrested for succumbing to old habits recently.

In the first instance, Rajendran (39) of Thorapadi in Vellore successfully reformed, when he approached Vellore SP S Rajesh Kannan through the Bagayam inspector a few days ago.

When he came to the SP’s office on Friday, Rajendran revealed his life story of wanting to give up selling ganja to which he was introduced by his rickshaw friends when he found the going tough after selling curry leaves and coriander in Vellore’s Nethaji market.

“They said I could make more if I procured ganja from Chittoor in AP and so I would get up to 500 grams and sell it locally,” he said. However, what changed his mind was when his 2 daughters and son threatened to kill themselves if he continued to sell ganja. It was then that he approached the inspector. “I have now asked for help to set up a tea shop,” he said.

SP Rajesh Kannan said, “We plan to talk to the district administration and seek their help to fulfil Rajendran’s wish.”

However in the other case, Damodaran son of Kanagaraj of Panapakkam in Ranipet district’s Nemili taluk who had many cases of waylaying against him approached the police and gave a signed affidavit to the Arakakonam RDO Fathima on August 10 that he wanted to reform and would not commit any crime for a year.

However, he succumbed to old habits and was again arrested by the Nemili police on November 6 for waylaying the public. He was jailed. Based on the orders of Ranipet SP Deepa Sathyan he was sentenced to eight months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 for contravening his sworn affidavit.