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A convict in kidnap and murder case was killed in Nagpur Central Jail in wee hours of Monday by a fellow prisoner, himself a murder convict. The deceased, Ayush Pugalia, 25, was serving a rare sentence of three life imprisonments awarded by the High Court here in 2015 for kidnaping and killing eight-year old Kush Prashant Kataria, son of a prominent businessman in 2011.
Superintendent of Police, Central Jail, Rani Bhosale told The Indian Express, “Pugalia had gone to toilet around 7 am, when he, apparently, had a verbal exchange with another prisoner Suraj Kotnake. The latter, who said that Pugalia had used dirty abuses during the quarrel, admitted to hitting Pugalia with a piece of floor tile on his head. Others who gathered at the spot took Pugalia to prison hospital where he was declared brought dead.”
A case of custodial death, magisterial inquiry has been initiated to investigate the murder. There were reports of Pugalia’s throat being slit open, but Bhosale didn’t confirm it. She also didnot confirm reports about the two frequently engaging in fights. “We have informed the police about the case,” she said when asked about the reports.
Kotnake was convicted of killing his maternal relative and is also serving life term in the Central Jail.
Pugalia’s brother Navin and Nitin alleged that their brother’s murder was a contract killing and demanded CBI enquiry.
Pugalia had killed Kush, his neighbour for ransom, planning to shower his girlfriend with costly gifts on her birthday in 2011. The murder had caused great stir forcing then Prithviraj Chavhan government to appoint special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam to fight the case. The lower court had sentenced Pugalia to two life imprisonments, which the high court had upgraded to three in 2015.
Nagpur’s Central Jail which has held high profile inmates like Mumbai blast accused, Yakub Memon and underworld don Arun Gawli in the past has been in the news over the past few years for incidents like escape of MCOCA accused and discovery of hundreds of cell phones smuggled into the jail.