In prison, dentists Talwars earn Rs.40 a day

Dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, sentenced to life imprisonment for a gory double murder, are earning Rs.40 each a day at the Dasna Jail here, a prison official said Thursday.

The Talwars have been read out the jail rules: they cannot meet daily although their barracks are close to one another. They can meet once every week -- just for 40 minutes.

Rajesh and Nupur Talwar have been lodged in barracks 11 and 13 respectively. Rajesh Talwar has been allotted prisoner number 9,342 while Nupur's number is 9,343.

Jail Superintendent Viresh Raj Sharma said that husband-wife prisoners meet in the Dasna prison, located on the outskirts of Ghaziabad district, on Saturdays.

"They would be allowed to meet for 40 minutes in the park situated inside the jail," Sharma said.

On Nov 25, when a Special CBI Court convicted them for the May 2008 murders of their teenage daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj, the Talwars were upset and refused to have their dinner in the jail.

They cooled down the next day, even though they were sentenced to life imprisonment, and took to work allotted at the prison.

"They have been provided jail uniform which they have to wear all the time," Sharma told IANS. "They have been allotted work as per their qualification."

Rajesh Talwar will work as a doctor and treat dental patients -- and earn Rs.40 a day. This would come to about Rs.1,200 a month.

Nupur Talwar has been assigned to teach the women and children -- this is what she did during her last term in jail. She too will be paid Rs.40 a day.

The prison offers three types of work: unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled.

Unskilled workers are paid Rs.25 a day, the semi-skilled get Rs.30 while the skilled earn Rs.40.

Convicted prisoners in jail are expected to work in one of the areas: flour making, prison stores, farms, stores, prison office, bakery and the cleaning section.