NHRC team to visit Tihar tom for spot report

New Delhi, June 13 (UNI) Alarmed over the death of seven people in Tihar jail in the past eight days, a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) delegation will visit the Asia's largest prison tomorrow for a spot report.

The delegation, led by NHRC Investigating Division SSP Mamta Singh, will submit the report within two weeks, sources said.

''The situation is alarming... people are dying in the jail.

The team will try and find out what is leading to the situation,'' they added.

As many as seven people, including a official, have died since June 6 in the prison presently reeling under the impact of heatwave conditions sweeping the Capital.

Today, Jail Warden Man Singh, 50, died of dehydration, said a Tihar spokesman.

Two inmates of the high security prison died yesterday bringing into focus the inhospitable living conditions at the prison.

Santosh, admitted to the Deendayal Hospital on June 4, died at about 2100 hrs yesterday and Vinod (25), taken into preventive custody on June 10 under, also died in the same Hospital yesterday after he complained of uneasiness and stomach ache.

On Monday, Najafgarh resident 30-year-old Ajay, convicted for attempt-to-murder, died in DDU Hospital where he was admitted after being detected with 'high fever'.

On June 9, a 31-year-old undertrial Harish Kumar, lodged in Prison No 7, had died while 'undergoing treatment for de-addiction' at DDU.

While on June 8, 57-year-old Kamaljeet arrested on corruption charges had died at DDU hospital where he was admitted after he complained 'of nausea and stomach-ache', two days before this, Amit (23), taken into preventive custody by the Narela police, had died due to 'dehydration and abdomen pain'.

Though no specific reasons have been attributed to the deaths sources say that heat spell could be one of the likely causes, to which PRO Sunil Kumar said of late arrangements have been made to make available lemon water with ice to the prison inmates and Senior Medical Officer asked to prepare a list of those not keeping well on a daily basis.

UNI