Lighten to enlighten

In 1994 when Nakka Rajashekar Goud was in his 20s, he came under the bad influence of some of his friends and entered the criminal world. A graduate in English medium from a time when only a select few had access to such education, he wished to become a Sub-Inspector. His parents had struggled hard for him. “I couldn’t fulfill my dream because of the path that I had chosen,” he says.

After coming clean in 2003, Rajashekar chose a different path and runs his own business today. He aims to stop others from entering the criminal world and plans to start an NGO. “Back then, I had nobody to guide me towards the right path. Today, this is the least I can do. I  hope the youngsters I reform also stop their friends from entering the field,” he says.

Rajasekhar and his friends pick people in the age group of 18 to 25 who show inclination towards criminal activities. They believe that this is the time when they need to be stopped. There is also a rise in the number of educated people taking to crimes. Rajashekar counsels them giving them his own example. “If they are uneducated, or have done basic schooling, we get them jobs as security guards, office boys and  delivery boys. We got two educated youngsters a job in a call centre. If we can’t get them a job immediately, I pay them a little money so they don’t go back to committing crimes to earn money,” he says.

Rajashekar informed us about how a lot of youngsters are being tricked to enter the political line. They are promised posts of a Corporater and are told they could earn a lot of money. Only after they have been utilised to their fullest, they realise that they have been tricked.

So far, Rajashekar has reformed 20 individuals in five months. “I talk to their families and keep a check to find out if they have gone back to the criminal field. I think 20 is a good number. And so far, none of them have gone back to committing crimes and are happy,” he smiles.