Supreme Court judge to visit Bengaluru Central Jail, launch skill development and mental health initiatives
Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath during his visit to Bengaluru Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru on Sunday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
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Justice Vikram Nath of the Supreme Court and executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) on Sunday visited the Bengaluru Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara and launched several initiatives to improve rehabilitation, skill development and mental health services for inmates.
Justice Nath was accompanied by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhra of the Karnataka High Court and Patron-in-Chief of Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), Justice Anu Sivaraman, Executive Chairman of KSLSA, and other senior judicial and legal services officials.
They first visited the prison’s Legal Services Center and reviewed the legal aid and welfare measures provided to prisoners. They later inaugurated a computer lab sponsored by RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru under the theme ‘Cells to Skills’, a program designed to equip prisoners with digital and vocational skills to support their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
The delegation also visited the De-Addiction Center at the prison hospital, where doctors were briefed on the treatment and counseling facilities available for inmates struggling with substance abuse.
In a major step towards improving mental health care in prisons, they inaugurated the Tele-MANAS facility in the women’s wing of the prison. This service will provide prisoners with access to mental health counseling and treatment through trained professionals and specialists through telecommunication platforms.
The visiting judges interacted with incarcerated women and toured the recently established crèche in the prison, which cares for children living with incarcerated mothers. They also held discussions with prisoners, legal aid recipients, prison officers and representatives from the District Legal Services Office regarding access to legal aid and prisoner welfare programmes.
The event was attended by several senior judicial officers, legal services officers and prison authorities. The program was presided over by Alok Kumar, Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Services, Karnataka.
These initiatives are expected to enhance rehabilitation efforts and improve the overall well-being of inmates in the state prison system.
Published – 31 May 2026 20:36 IST