98-year-old languishes in Indian prison after no one paid £116 for his release

Ram Surat, 98, was not released because no one paid bail of Rs 11,500 (£116) which was posted in his court order - Prison officials soon realized he had no family or friends to help him as he had no visitors

Ram Surat, 98, (seated left) was locked up for six years for theft after a family took his alms for theft (

Image: timesofindia)

An elderly Indian holy man languishes in jail after no one offered a £116 bail for his release.

Ram Surat, 98, was finally released from a prison in Ayodhya, India, this week after serving six years for theft.

Mr. Surat, who became a Hindu holy man (Sanyasi) in middle age, was abandoned by friends and family who either left his home village or died after taking his vows.

With no one to help keep him alive, he went out for alms and relied on the kindness of strangers.

One day in 2017, he was accused of theft by a family who mistook his religious alms for theft.

The police dragged him to jail and charged him with theft.

Mr. Surat was released from prison with the help of prison warden Shashikant Mishra (

Picture:

@DgPrisons/Twitter)