‘Auto’matic change in attitude: Reformed burglar, wife sell threads for livelihood

Instead of going back to his old ways, Kamalakannan and hiswife, are now making garland thread at home and supplying the same to flower vendors. “We make around Rs 700 daily and that is enough to manage the life now,” he said.

Kamalakannan, who resides in Kodungaiyur, was accused of 40 thefts in Chennai and could have looted valuables over Rs 1 crore when he was a thief since 2014.

After getting married in 2019, he halted his crime life and informed all senior officials, including the city police Commissioner, about it last December.

However, after the implementation of lockdown, Kamalakannan found it difficult to earn with his auto rickshaw. “I couldn’t earn much income there is very minimum usage of rickshaw by people now,” he said.

A week ago, the couple purchased thread making machine from a trader in Tiruvallur after paying Rs 8,000 from their savings. “My wife and I make threads, pack it in bundles and I go around selling it. Our customers are mainly flower vendors in Madhavaram,” noted Kamalakannan, adding that his life has truly turned around.

It was city police chief AK Viswanathan who advised him on formalities of a reformed life and accordingly Kamalakannan met all other officials concerned and started a crime-free life.

Kamalakannan, who is a native of Tiruvannamalai, has been living in Chennai and its suburbs since 2007 and working in the construction industry until he started burglaries. He was roped into house breaks by another burglar whom he had met in jail when he was put behind bars in connection with an assault case. He estimates that he could have committed around 20 plus house breaks from 2014 to 2018, but police say he was involved in more than 40 cases.