NEW DELHI: A 24-year-old undertrial prisoner died after being assaulted by two fellow inmates at Saket court’s lock-up on Thursday, police said. An initial probe revealed that one of the accused had allegedly kicked the victim, and smashed his head on a wall.
DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan said the assault took place in Kharja number-5 of the court lock-up. Kharja is a special area where undertrials are kept before court appearance.
Aman, a resident of Govindpuri, was involved in an attempt to murder case in 2017. He was brought to the lock-up for appearance before the court, the DCP said.
Several undertrial prisoners were present inside the Kharja at the time of the incident. Two other undertrial prisoners, Jitender and Jaidev, assaulted the youth, injuring him critically. Aman was immediately rushed to the court dispensary for treatment. He was then shifted to AIIMS, where the doctors declared him dead, Chauhan said.
The preliminary probes suggested that Jitender and Aman had an old rivalry between them over an assault in 2024. Aman had allegedly assaulted Jitender and his brother with a knife, police said. All three were lodged in Tihar Jail number 8. The DCP said the rivalry appears to have persisted and escalated during their custody.
Police are reviewing the CCTV footage of Kharja to determine the sequence of the incident. The other undertrial prisoners will also be questioned. A team has been formed to investigate the matter, including the response of security personnel at the lock-up.
Advocate Vineet Jindal, secretary general of North Delhi Lawyers Association, said, “The shocking incident is a grim reminder of the security lapses in our judicial infrastructure. Such brutality within the premises of a court reflects a breakdown of accountability on the part of jail authorities.”
Courts in Delhi have witnessed several killings, including many shootings, in recent years. In 2023, a suspended lawyer in uniform opened fire at a woman allegedly over a financial dispute in Saket Court.