Punjab rights panel orders Rs 3 lakh for jail death

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) asked the state government to pay Rs 3 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of a Malerkotla resident who died in police custody on April 7, 2018.
Bhupinder Premi questioned findings that his son Gurprit had allegedly died by suicide through “strangulation” in Malerkotla sub-jail. He suspected his son was killed by pressing his throat and cited an injury on his right eye and fractures in both hands.
The rights panel examined reports from various authorities but failed to ascertain how the prisoner could end his life by hanging in a “small bathroom” with nobody noticing it in a jail with foolproof security.
In a report submitted by the deputy superintendent, sub-jail, Malerkotla, it was stated that the deceased was confined with 20 other inmates in Barrack Number 1 and no one had made any statement regarding any “fight” between them. The head warder and warder were reported to be on duty when the incident occurred at 2.15 am. They, however, submitted that “no noise was heard nor any fight took place”.
The inquiry report submitted by Bikramdeep Singh, PCS, judicial magistrate first class, Malerkotla, read: “The ligature marks as reflected by injuries taken together are in consonance with the expected marks in such a kind of hanging. It was also pointed out that the place of hanging was a small bathroom. Thus, in such case, the possibility of the deceased being overpowered and forcibly hanged are remote, especially in view of the fact that there are no struggle marks on the deceased’s body, despite the spot of occurrence being a small bathroom.”
The commission, comprising chairperson Justice Sant Parkash and member Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, did not find any reason to differ with the report of the judicial magistrate first class that there was no forcible hanging, but in its order stated: “The negligence of the jail authorities is writ large. We are not satisfied with the replies filed by the concerned. They were either sleeping through the time when the incident took place or were not alert enough or there was no proper monitoring.”
The state government has been asked to submit an action taken report on or before October 3.