Sarlahi, August 16:

Two-year-old Punam Kumari Yadav, has been forced to stay with her parents in Sarlahi district jail.

Her parents Ram Bilochan and Kalpana Devi of Aurahi-3 in Sarlahi district were jailed in May 17, 2007 on a murder case. The Sarlahi District Court had awarded life term to the two for the murder of Ram Bilochan’s first wife.

Punam has been forced to stay in the prison since there is no one to look after her except her parents.

“We will be grateful if a children’s home accepts my daughter and educates her,” Kalpana said, adding, “Though the child is not responsible for our crime, she has been forced to stay in the jail.”

“The jail administration provides 700 gram of rice and Rs 45 to each prisoner every day,” district prison chief Anil Acharya said, adding that each prisoner’s child gets 100 gram of rice and Rs 10 every day.

Punam is the only child staying in this prison. “If any organisation wants to take responsibility of the child, it can take her,” Acharya said. The prison also has a senior citizen and a pregnant woman.

Hem Kumari Sapkota, 70, of Barhathwa and Pramila Chaudhari of Hardiya-5 of Siraha have been serving terms for attempted murder and abduction.

Sapkota has been suffering from rheumatism, whereas Chaudhari is seven moths pregnant, public health inspector at the jail Abhiram Jha said.

Sapkota and Chaudhari said have they fallen ill for want of balanced diet and healthy environment.

A total of 150 prisoners have been put up at the jail meant for 100 prisoners.