CUTTACK: An under trial prisoner (UTP) of Choudwar Circle Jail died while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, here on Saturday.
The UTP, Bharat Mandal of Telenga Bazar under Purighat police limits, was arrested on March 27 night after he was found in possession of a revolver during a routine checking at a Sunshine field here.
Jailer Hemant Sethi said Mandal was near the jail entrance on March 28 at 1.20 pm when he complained of chest pain following which the jail medical pharmacist checked him and found injuries on his body. As per the suggestion of jail health officials, Mandal was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in an ambulance at 1.40 pm and had been undergoing treatment ever since.
He died at 9.45 am on Saturday, said Sethi adding that the court while remanding the accused to judicial custody had directed jail officials to provide necessary treatment mentioning that the accused had sustained injuries prior to his arrest.
However, the family members of Mandal, including his mother Runa and sister Binmayee, alleged that he sustained injuries due to police excesses. They alleged that after detaining him illegally for two days, police forwarded him to court on March 28 though he was nabbed on March 26.
Refuting the allegations, DCP Akhilesvar Singh said Mandal was a wanted criminal. While his father is a convict, his two brothers are also murder accused and are at large. “Necessary action will be initiated after a probe,” said the DCP.