Five inmates of Delhi prisons die in almost 1 week

New Delhi: Five inmates have died inside prisons in Delhi in the last eight days, officials said on Saturday and asserted that none of the deaths were related to violence.

According to the officials, these deaths were reported in different jails.

In all these cases, the circumstances indicate towards natural cause like old disease or other unknown reason. Inquest proceedings are being conducted by Metropolitan Magistrate in each case in accordance with the rules, a senior jail official said.

Police said an undertrial prisoner died on Friday in jail number 3 of Tihar.

Vikram alias Vicky, lodged in central jail number 3 in Tihar, died allegedly because of health issues. Action has been initiated under Section 176 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Prisons Department has stopped the salaries of over 40 officers after a mismatch was detected in their biometric verification, officials said on Saturday.

Directed General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel has confirmed the development.

The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) had conducted a biometric verification drive in the prisons department in the last week of November, they said.

Those who joined the Delhi Prisons Department from 2019 onwards in warder and assistant superintendent ranks — recruited through the exams conducted by the DSSSB — were screened by matching their biometrics with the data preserved at the time of recruitment, an official said.

As a result of the exercise, 47 cases of preliminary mismatch have been detected.

Further action will be taken after the final report is received from the DSSSB, the

official said.

However, as an immediate and interim measure, the salaries of all these officials have been stopped and show cause notices have been issued to them, the official added.