KOCHI:“Some cases may appear to be suicides superfluously, but there might be more to it than meets the eye,” said a senior police officer, who added intelligence reports have confirmed about quotation gangs operating inside the jails to intimidate and finish off witnesses and accused.
State Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services R Sreelekha said three deaths were reported mysterious in the last few months, but the department conducted all necessary proceedings to ascertain the exact cause of death.
“In two cases, we prepared autopsy reports and in the third, we are yet to get the final report. We follow strict rules when it comes to dealing with suspected suicides and mysterious deaths. A thorough probe is done to ascertain the cause of death,” said Sreelekha, adding that all natural deaths, mainly due to illness and age, are also included under custodial deaths.
Kerala State Human Rights Commission acting chairperson P Mohandas said it is strict in following procedures whenever a custodial death is reported.“We conduct detailed inquiry. Also, each person sent to judicial custody is given proper counselling about their rights,” said Mohandas.