Five prisoners at the high-security Tihar Jail in the national capital have died in the past eight days, a Delhi Police official said on Saturday, 25 December.
Despite all the deaths appearing to be from natural causes, the official said that a "Magisterial inquiry under Sec 176 of the CrPC has been initiated in all the fatalities".
On Friday also, an inmate's death was reported in Tihar Jail number 3. The official said that the prisoner was found unconscious in his cell and was immediately taken to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead.
He also allegedly died because of health issues. The deceased prisoner was identified as Vikram alias Vicky.
Director General (Prisons) Sandeeep Goyal told IANS that these deaths of the prisoners took place in different jails and "none were related to any kind of violence."
"In all these, the circumstances indicate natural causes like old disease or other unknown reason," Goyal said, adding as per rules, inquest proceedings are being conducted by Metropolitan Magistrate in each case.
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