Convicts in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh can get out of jail early if they develop a regular yoga practice. For every three months that a prisoner practices, his prison sentence is reduced by two weeks.
The state's inspector general of prisons, Sanjay Mane, said: "Yoga is good for maintaining fitness, calming the behaviour, controlling anger and reducing stress.
"When a prisoner attends yoga sessions and fulfils some other conditions, he will be considered for a remission if his jail superintendent recommends his case."An inmate at Gwalior central jail, Narayan Sharma – who has now moved on to become an instructor – says it helps to banish the "angry thoughts" in his mind.
"It was these thoughts that made me commit crimes," he said.
