Convict dies, doctors suspect drug overdose

GURUGRAM :A 30-year-old inmate of Bhondsi jail, serving a life term, died of suspect drug overdose at Civil Hospital on Wednesday. At least 15 packets, of size one inch each, were found from his stomach and intestine, said forensic expert Dr Deepak Mathur.

Bhondsi jail superintendent Jai Kishan Chillar said the deceased, Akhilesh alias Mithun, had been unwell for the last three years. He said it was suspected that the packets found in Akhilesh’s stomach contained narcotics, which he was trying to smuggle inside the prison.

“He was sent to PGIMS Rohtak on January 7 after he complained of acute chest pain,” said Chillar. He added that an acquaintance in Rohtak might have given Akhilesh the drugs packets. Akhilesh fell sick after reaching the jail, Chillar said. Dr Mathur, who headed a medical board of four doctors which examined Akhilesh, said the packets have been sent for chemical analysis and a report is awaited.

“Primarily, Akhilesh died of respiratory failure and cardiac shock,” said Dr Mathur.

“The jail medical officer examined him, and at 4.05 pm on Wednesday, he was referred to the emergency ward of Civil Hospital in Gurugram, where he died around 5 pm. The inmate had a history of heart and respiratory ailments, and was taken to the Civil Hospital on several occasions to address a respiratory problem,” Chillar said.

Chillar said that as per protocol, jail authorities have written to the district and sessions judge to depute a magistrate to initiate inquiry under Section 176 of the CRPC. The police, meanwhile, have started inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CRPC.

“The victim’s body did not have any external injuries or wounds,” said Shamsher Singh, assistant commissioner of police (crime).the deceased, a resident of Darbaripur, Gurugram, was arrested on July 28, 2012, for murder and robbery. He was booked under sections 302 (murder), 392 (robbery) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code by Kherki Daula police. He was convicted of the crime on September 3, 2013.

Since November last year, the jail authorities have confiscated contraband items, including drugs, cellphones, cellphone batteries and chargers, bluetooth devices, from prisoners, their cells, visitors and even found them lying in the jail grounds.

These instances have raised serious concern about the security in Bhondsi jail, the state’s largest prison facility which is being developed as a “model prison”.