Once a thief, always a thief; Curious case of 'writer' Siddique

KANNUR: It is a shame that Siddique, who came out clean after serving 34 years in prison, couldn’t help returning to his old shenanigans. He was caught in a theft case in CSI Immanuel Church Talap Kannur. Thus, the doors of Kannur jail yet again opened for Siddique.

He failed to put to good use the culinary skills learnt from prison while the new identity as a ‘writer’ did little to ward off his past misdemeanours. The 60-year-old Siddique was released from jail just eight months back after serving almost three decades in prison.

A resident of ‘Arayamkollam house’ Jubilee Road, Thiruvangadu, Siddique gained popularity after publishing his autobiography ‘ Oru Kallante Athmakadha’ while in jail. Upon its release, this book attained great popularity across the state.

During the book launch, Siddique requested the media not to call him a ‘thief’ again and expressed his desire to continue writing and be with his family in harmony. The prison staff provided all the support needed to start his new life, and everyone believed his words without giving second thoughts. And guess what, he hoodwinked everyone.

The moment he stepped outside the jail, the old traits found their way back. It seemed impossible for him to turn into a man of his desire. The intrigue to get into his old ways was too difficult to resist. Just after stepping out of jail, Siddique stole a bicycle worth Rs 17,000 from Rajina Suresh's house near the Central Jail. It was common for Siddique to indulge in theft after his release from jail and get arrested again. It worked as a loop and was a common motif throughout his life.

Siddique had told the prison staff about his idea to start a roadside eatery shop after coming out of jail. He had mastered the art of cooking 100 dishes, from bakery sweets to Chinese dishes. Siddique kept more than 2,000 recipes of chefs in six notebooks, which he transcribed from periodicals available in the libraries of the Central Jail. He was also trained in tractor, tiller and grass cutting.