Vijay Palande is also allegedly a member of underworld don Santosh Shetty's gang.
Mahatma Gandhi is considered the foremost exponent of non-violence so it's nothing short of ironic that an accused serial killer has aced an exam on Gandhian principles. Vijay Palande (48), who is accused of four murders and was allegedly a member of underworld don Santosh Shetty's gang, clinched the second rank in the Gandhism exam conducted at Thane jail.
But while this feat may come across as a sign of successful reformation in prison or an extensive study of Gandhism over time, Palande unabashedly admits that he only studied the principles for a few days.
"I had appeared for an exam on Gandhi after one of the inmates suggested it to me. I studied for just a few days, and have heard that I aced the exam. I am happy about that," he told mid-day.
The exam was conducted for inmates at Thane jail on November 28, by the Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal. Around 98 prisoners appeared for the test, which was based on Gandhi's life and beliefs. Palande scored 66 marks out of 80 and ranked second in the category for inmates who have completed education between Std XI to graduation. Cheating accused Ramesh Israni, who scored 70 marks, came first in the same category.
Thane Central Jail Superintendent Nitin Yachal said, "There were a total of 98 inmates who appeared for the exams. A special programme will be conducted to hand over the passing certificates to all of them very soon."