NHRC notice to the Rajasthan Director General of Prisons over the reported death of a prisoner under suspicious circumstances in Ajmer Central Jail

Press Release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi, 26th February, 2024

NHRC notice to the Rajasthan Director General of Prisons over the reported death of a prisoner under suspicious circumstances in Ajmer Central Jail

The report sought within six weeks

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 45-year-old HIV-positive prisoner died inside the Ajmer Central Jail under suspicious circumstances on 19th February, 2024. Reportedly, the prisoner died after hitting himself with an iron rod during a fight with the prison staff.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, indicate negligence on the part of jail authorities raising an issue of human rights violations. The jail authorities should have taken extra care and protection to keep such items as iron rods out of the reach of prisoners. Accordingly, it has issued notice to the Director General of Prisons, Rajasthan calling for a detailed report in the matter within six weeks.

The report is expected to include his complete medical record right since entry to the prison, inquest report, post-mortem report, video recording of the same and magisterial enquiry report besides the steps taken/ proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

The Commission has also asked the authorities to inform about the correct age of the deceased prisoner as in the intimation from the Superintendent, Ajmer Central Jail the age of the deceased prisoner is mentioned 61 years.

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