Post News Network
Kendrapara, March 26: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a case over the custodial death of Jairam Rout in the sub-jail here March 17. Rights campaigner Radhakanta Tripathy moved the petition twice before the NHRC over the same issue March 21 and 23 and
demanded immediate action.
Rout, a resident of Rajpur (Balichandrapur) under Rajnagar
police limit died just after his release in a critical condition March 17 last year, while the jail authority’s excuse was that the sub-jail does not have any vehicle. When Jairam reached the district headquarters hospital, doctors declared him dead. Meanwhile, Baidhar Rout, brother of the deceased, in a complaint to the SDPO alleged his brother was tortured to death by the authorities.
The post mortem, if analysed properly, would expose how poor inmates are treated brutally by jail authorities, Tripathy said. On one hand Jairam became a victim as he could not follow the provisions due to poverty, while he was subjected to torture and finally succumbed on the other hand. This amounts to serious violation of human rights, he alleged in the petition .
The petitioner requested NHRC to direct I.G. (Prisons), government of Orissa to inquire into the whole incident and to take action against errant officials and pay compensation of `5 lakh to the family members of the deceased.
The NHRC is also monitoring
another case filed by Tripathy, related to human rights violation in the sub-jail due to lack of basic facilities as per jail manual.
According to official sources, district collector had earlier directed the sub collector to conduct an inquiry and to submit a detailed report. But the inquiry report is yet to be submitted by the sub-collector.
Following a direction from the SP, Satish Kumar Gajbhiye, police sent the body for further autopsy to SCB Medical College and and Hospital at Cuttack after the brother of deceased, Jairam, denied to receive it after autopsy in the DHH alleging that his brother died due to torture by the jail authorities.
