It can perhaps be dubbed as another case of transformation of a bandit into a noble man in a state like Bihar which is more known for crime than its virtues and rich heritage. It is the story of one Daya Sagar, an accused in more than 16 murder cases,who now considers pen mightier than a gun.
Daya Sagar has now taken to the noble profession of teaching and runs a teaching centre in Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
According to the district officials, after spending four years behind bars Shyam Narayan (bandit) has turned into Daya Sagar (Balmiki).
The transformation had begun in the jail itself where Daya Sagar used to educate nearly 300-400 prisoners.
Before taking up teaching as a profession, Daya Sagar had educated himself and mastered Urdu, Hindi and Bangla. It was at the age of 14 when Daya Sagar had committed his first crime.
In his confession, reportedly made to the jail officials, he said he felt remorse for his past criminal activities and wanted to start life afresh after coming out of jail.
After taking recourse to teaching to repent and subsequently enlighten his fellow prisoners, he continued the said journey after being released from the jail.
In his bid to change the quality of life of his fellow villagers through teaching, Daya Sagar now depends largely on the donations for which he virtually begs from door to door.
But Daya Sagar's experience of people favouring his good cause is not encouraging.
By his own admission to a senior district official, the society was "more prompt" to give money to a pistol-totting Shyam Narayan, once known as an abductor and a killer, than to Daya Sagar who now has given up the gun for the pen.
From: Tribune, 21-08-06
