Balasore convict turns yoga and spiritual guru

BALASORE: From a dacoit to a yoga guru and now an activist. Fifty-year-old Durga Prasad Patra, a blind convict who was serving a seven-year term in a Balasore district jail, was released prematurely on Saturday. He was lodged in the jail for the past two years and six months. A review of his conduct showed that Patra had contributed immensely towards the betterment of life inside the prison.His early release was an award for this.
His constant appeals to the inmates to give up vices and to tread the right path, drew the attention of the authorities. A native of Jaleswar, Balasore, Patra was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment in a robbery case by the district court in Keonjhar. The incident took place in the Anandapur area of Keonjhar while he was studying in Plus-II in a college in 1983.
While he had lost an eye in a disease in childhood, he became fully blind when he lost his other eye in an accident during the trial. When he appealed before the High Court against the district court's judgement, his jail term was reduced to four years. He again appealed before the Supreme Court, but the HC order was upheld.
"Patra spent nearly one year in Keonjhar jail and then came to Balasore where he got a new lease of life. There was a significant change in his behaviour and conduct. He was attracted towards spiritualism and we felt a change in his interactions with other convicts in a couple of months," said Bimal Panda, assistant jailer.
During this time he learnt yoga from the trainers of Prajapita Brahmakumari. Perhaps it was yoga that helped him discover the power of the mind and the body and how bad habits can be killers. He started a campaign against chewing of tobacco in the jail. He convinced convicts and undertrials about the ill effects of tobacco.
Patra, father of a son, promised to work for a tobacco-free society after his release.
"I will start a spiritual group in my native place and teach people yoga. Besides, I will continue my campaign against tobacco till my death. I will implore people to give up alcohol and tobacco," he said.
The inmates, who look upon him as a big brother, are much influenced by him. Lifer Pradip Das said, "I will stop taking tobacco though I am addicted to it."
The jail authorities have requested Patra to continue imparting yoga lessons to the inmates. Superintendent P K Das said, "If he can bring about a change in the moral values of the inmates, if they are reformed and turn spiritual, it that would be a great achievement."