Death of prisoner: disciplinary action taken against three officials of Kozhikode district jail

Disciplinary action has been taken against three officials of the Kozhikode District Jail for “poor surveillance” which reportedly led to the unnatural death of a remand prisoner. While the Jail Superintendent and the Deputy Prison Officer were transferred, the Assistant Prison Officer was placed under suspension.

It was on January 6 that a 61-year-old man, who was remanded in connection with a child sexual abuse case, was found dead. According to jail authorities, the man ended his life following the mental trauma he suffered after the arrest. There were also allegations that he was arrested on the basis of a false complaint, they said.

Following the man’s death, there were a series of local protests seeking legal action against the police for “falsely implicating him” in the child abuse case. According to the protesters and some of the local residents close to the victim’s family, the man was not involved in the sexual assault case. They sought a reinvestigation into the incident and a re-examination of the victim’s statement.

Action was taken against the three jail officials on the basis of a preliminary internal investigation report submitted by the Deputy Inspector General. The report stated that the jail officials were careless and did not ensure proper checking of cells or conduct periodic visits. Earlier incidents in which prisoners had attempted suicide also prompted the officer to recommend immediate disciplinary action.