Kin protest outside mortuary over undertrial’s mysterious death in Nagpur central jail

NAGPUR: The mourners’ shed outside the mortuary of the government medical college and hospital (GMCH) turned into a venue of high drama on Sunday as the family members of deceased Akash Gaud, a former undertrial at Nagpur central jail, started protesting his unexplained death a day ago.
Senior police officials, along with personnel from Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC), had to tackle the tense situation outside the mortuary as relatives and friends of Gaud, a murder accused, nearly went berserk claiming his untimely death was caused due to merciless beating by jail officials. They also claimed that Gaud had several injury marks on his body.
Meanwhile, jail officials claimed that Gaud was admitted to the prison hospital on Saturday after he was feeling uneasy. “There is no question of manhandling Gaud. He was rushed to GMCH but was declared dead,” said prison SP Anup Kumre.
Gaud’s father Tarachand said he met his son in jail on May 9 but there were no signs of any illness. “My son sounded petrified. He feared getting thrashed in jail over a water dispute in which he was involved with another inmate. He wanted me to apply for emergency bail,” said Tarachand who was assured of action by zonal DCP Noorul Hasan after getting the post-mortem report.
A team of forensic experts had conducted the post-mortem at GMCH in the presence of the executive magistrate, sub-divisional magistrate and doctors. The entire process was also videographed. It’s learnt the experts could not find any injury marks on the body. The viscera and blood samples were sent for histopathology tests.
Tarachand added that jail officials had informed the family several hours after his son’s death.
Dhantoli police have registered a case of accidental death.