The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Prisoner falls to death in Puducherry

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Tuesday, Mar 06, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Prisoner falls to death in Puducherry

Staff Reporter

He was serving a one-month term for failing to pay alimony

CHECKING THE FACTS: Sub-Divisional Magistrate N. Vasantha Kumar inquiring with CPI(M) members about the suicide by the prisoner in Puducherry. — Photo:T. Singaravelou

PUDUCHERRY: A 31-year-old inmate of the prison here was stated to have jumped from the second floor and died of head injuries at the General Hospital on Sunday night.

Ramamurthy, a casual labourer and Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker, was in jail for failing to pay his divorced wife Rs. 20,000 as alimony as ordered by the court.

Jail employees said that when the inmates were watching television in the evening, Ramamurthy went to the second floor and threw himself down. He died in hospital.

He had completed three weeks of the one-month jail term award to him.

CPI(M) volunteers and relatives of the deceased gathered outside the prison on Monday morning and shouted slogans, alleging that the jail staff had failed to protect the lives of inmates. They blocked traffic on J. N. Street. The relatives received the body only after an assurance from Chief Minister that an inquiry would be ordered into the incident.

Ragging alleged

He alleged that Ramamurthy was ragged by some inmates and did not get any support from the jail employees. Five people died in the prison in the last one year, he said, but no action was taken.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police S. Vasudeva Rao said: "He was not a criminal and it was an unfortunate incident. The circumstances leading to his death will be investigated."

Asked about the increasing number of deaths in the prison, he said: "Space constraint and lack of staff to monitor the prisoners are our handicap."

He said the Police department had requested the Government to speed up construction of the new prison, coming up on 32 acres at Kalapet. It had sent a proposal to create 43 new posts for the jail administration.

"Jail reforms will be initiated once the prison is shifted to the new place."

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