Inmate found hanging in Choudwar Circle Jail, Odisha

CUTTACK: A 55-year-old inmate of Choudwar Circle Jail died after he was found hanging inside his prison cell here on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Mahendra Das of Risipur in Bari of Jajpur district. Das was serving life imprisonment since 2006 in connection with a murder case, and was shifted to Choudwar Circle Jail in 2007.

According to Choudwar police, Das was found hanging at his prison cell in the morning. On being taken to SCB medical college and hospital (MCH), doctors declared him brought dead. An unnatural death case was registered basing on the jail superintendent’s report, and investigation is underway, police said.

Meanwhile, family members of the deceased alleged Das was strangulated by other jail inmates due to lack of security. “Das used to speak to us over phone at regular intervals. However, he had stopped calling us since the last few days. The jailer informed us that his condition was serious and he was undergoing treatment at SCB MCH,” said a family member while to speaking to the media.

Though efforts to elicit response from the Choudwar Circle Jail superintendent Pradipta Kumar Behera proved futile, ACP Arun Swain said the custodial death would be investigated as per the guidelines of National Human Rights Commission.