Rakhsha Bandhan brought emotional moments for many inmates at the Central Jail here today, as their sisters were allowed to meet them and tie rakhis.Special security arrangements were made at the jail as a large number of women arrived to meet their brothers. For many, it was an emotional reunion after years of separation.One young woman, whose brother is lodged here, had come from abroad after three years. She said she was happy to finally meet her brother and tie Rakhi on his wrist.Two other women said they had urged their brothers to mend their ways and hoped they would not have to visit the jail for the same purpose next year. “Our brothers have promised us that they will lead a normal life and never return to the world of crime,” they said.Many women were seen tying rakhis on their brothers’ wrists and embraced them during emotional reunions.Hemant Sharma, Superintendent, Central Jail, Bathinda, said: “Special security arrangements had been made for the occasion. Raksha Bandhan is one of the occasions when prisoners are allowed to meet their sisters and get rakhis tied on their wrists. On regular days, meetings take place through a glass partition using telephones or across a wire-mesh barrier. But today, sisters met their brothers without these barriers as the state government had allowed it.”He said by around 11 am, nearly 100 women had tied rakhis to their brothers in the jail. “TThere are nearly 2,100 inmates in the jail, and sisters of about 70 per cent of them are expected to visit. We do not allow outside sweets and have made in-house arrangements at the canteen. For those who are poor, we have made free arrangements for rock sugar, cardamom and rakhis. We are allowing sisters of all prisoners to meet them, after proper registration, whether the inmate is involved in a serious crime or a minor offence,” said the Superintendent.In Barnala, some school girls tied rakhi to Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh at his office.