Mangaluru:   A special program to delete the names of the criminals who amended their behavior and stayed away from crime, from the infamous “Rowdy sheeter list”  held at Mangaluru Police Commissioners office on Thursday.

A unique program of the commissionerate called “Parivarthana Sabhe” was held on December 16. Mangaluru Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar announced that 1256 names have been deleted from the rowdy list after thoroughly assessing their background and behavior. Now, these persons can lead a normal life.

“Of the 3,263 names that were on the ‘rowdy-sheeters’ list under Mangaluru city police commissioner, cases on 663 persons are closed. There are 80 who have reached old age and 513 stayed away from crime. In total names of 1256 persons have been revoked from the list,” he said delivering a speech at the function organized at TV Raman Pai hall.

The police commissioner said that even after turning away from crime, persons named in rowdy sheeters list and their families faced many difficulties and found it hard to lead a normal life. “With the rowdy tag removed those persons will be able to lead a normal life,” he said.

He also urged them to be responsible citizens.

Businessman A J Shetty lauded the efforts of the police commissioner for the efforts put in for integrating reformed criminals back into society.

Addressing the former-rowdies as “reformed citizens,” Habeeb Rehman, chairman, and medical director, Unity Hospital advised, “Only when hearts are transformed can one lead a peaceful life in the society.”

Another guest, Fr Rudolph Ravi D’Sa, administrator, Father Muller Medical College Hospital called upon the reformed citizens to take good decisions in life. “We should keep anger aside. Everything can’t be solved through revenge and violence. Develop friendship and be kind to each other,” he urged.