104-yr old man released from Bengal jail after spending 36-years in jail
Kolkata/Malda (PTI): A 104-year-old man released from West Bengal's Malda Correctional Home after languishing in jail for 36 years said he will spend time with his family members and do gardening.
Rasikt Mondal was sentenced to life imprisonment by District and Sessions court in Malda in 1992 after being arrested in 1988, on the charge of murdering his brother in a land dispute case.
He had been enlarged on bail for about one year and given parole another time but again went back to the prison once the period was over and the high court turned down his pleas for release on past occasions.
Mondal, a resident of Manikchak in Malda district, told reporters emerging out of the gate of Malda Correctional Home on Tuesday that he will now devote full time to gardening/nurturing plants and spending time with family members.
Asked how old was he, Mondal mumbled 108 years but his son, accompanying him, corrected that he was 104. Correctional home authorities said records showed he was 104.
"I don't remember how many years I had spent in jail. It seemed never-ending. I don't even recall when I was brought here," the elderly man, looking remarkably agile considering his age, said.
However, he added "now I have come out I can do justice to my passion - attending plants in the small garden in my courtyard. I missed my family and grandchildren. Want to be with them."
Mondal's son Prakash Mondal said his father was released following an order of the Supreme Court.
"After serving a considerable period in prison, every prisoner is entitled to release from prison if he has not committed any improper act during incarceration as informed by our lawyer. Happy the SC finally paved the way for his release," the son said.
Mondal had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1992 by the district and sessions court Malda when he was 72 years old.
However, during the hearing at Calcutta High Court, he was released on bail. However, he went back to the correctional home as the high court upheld the life sentence verdict of the lower court.
In 2020 he was granted parole but went back to the correctional home in 2021 and remained lodged in lock up till the SC issued the order last month.
"I am very happy," his wife, octogenarian Meena Mondal said.
The elderly man, who used to do physical exercise during his stay in prison and looked fit considering his advanced age, claimed "I am innocent and a victim of circumstances."
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KMES Institutions shine in SSLC result, continue four-decade legacy of education in rural Karkala
Karkala: KMES Institutions of Education at Kukkundooru in Karkala taluk has recorded outstanding results in the 2025-26 SSLC and PUC examinations, continuing a four-decade educational journey that began with just 22 kindergarten students and no building of its own.
The institution secured a 100 per cent result in the SSLC examinations, with all 43 students passing the examination this year.
Muhammad Arman Shahid emerged as the school topper by scoring 619 marks out of 625, securing 99 per cent and also ranking sixth at the state level. He scored full marks in Kannada, Hindi, Mathematics and Social Science.
Krithika V. Nayak secured the second position in the school with 607 marks and 97.12 per cent, while Arhan stood third with 605 marks and 96.8 per cent.
Out of the 43 students, 21 passed with distinction, 19 secured first class, two students obtained second class and one student passed in third class. Fourteen students scored above 90 per cent.
The institution also performed strongly in the PUC examinations. The Science stream recorded a 100 per cent result, with all 44 students passing, while Commerce secured a 98 per cent pass percentage.
Twelve students scored full marks in different subjects, including Mathematics.
In Commerce, Deeksha Acharya topped the college with 588 marks, while Harshitha H. Kini secured the second position with 581 marks.
In Science, Naveen B. Nayak emerged as topper with 586 marks, followed closely by Sameeksha Moily and Aifa Nidha, who both secured 585 marks.
Speaking about the achievement, High School head teacher Shrimati Patkar said the institution has always focused on supporting academically weak students through affordable education and free special classes.
“Our ambition is to provide quality education even to students who struggle in studies. The fees are very low, and free coaching classes are conducted. I have worked here for 28 years and have always found the atmosphere supportive of education,” she said.
Primary School head teacher Lolita Zeena D’Silva appreciated the dedication of the teaching staff and said the school encourages students not only to achieve high marks but also to become role models.
PU College Principal Balakrishna Rao said the institution focuses on value-based education and overall personality development.
“The aim is to help students succeed not only academically but also in cultural activities, sports and leadership. We encourage qualities such as patience, tolerance and discipline,” he said.
Rao also credited the institution’s growth to the support of founders K.S. Mohammed Masood and K.S. Nissar Ahmed, along with President K.S. Imtiaz Ahmed.
Speaking on the occasion, Imtiaz Ahmed said the institution was built on the dream of making quality education accessible to financially backward families in rural areas.
He said the guidance and encouragement of his elder brothers, Mohammed Masood and Nissar Ahmed, along with the contribution of teachers, students and parents, helped transform the institution into a model educational centre.
The KMES Institutions trace their roots back to 1984, when they were founded by senior social activists Haji P.M. Khan, K.S. Nazeer Ahmed and Haji A.S. Rashid Haider.
The institution initially functioned from the Government Urdu School premises as it did not have a building of its own. Classes began with only 22 students in lower kindergarten and two teachers.
Later, under the leadership of K.S. Mohammed Masood and with continuous financial and moral support from non-resident businessman K.S. Nissar Ahmed, the institution gradually expanded.
In 1993, the school shifted to its own building and began conducting classes from LKG to Class 5.
As student admissions increased, Nissar Ahmed personally funded the construction of three additional classrooms to address infrastructure shortages.
The institution’s new school building was completed in 1997, while the PU College building was constructed in 2001.
From humble beginnings in a borrowed building to producing state-level rank holders and consistent academic results, the KMES Institutions have grown into one of the prominent educational centres in the Karkala region.
