The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the State Government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of an under-trial prisoner (UTP) who committed suicide by hanging himself in a jail in 2018.
Jitendra Kumar Biswal (32) had hanged himself at the toilet of the Bhubaneswar Jharpada Special Jail on May 12, 2018 while undergoing jail term there.
The OHRC’s order came in response to a petition filed by rights activist Prabir Das.
The petitioner had claimed that Biswal, a resident of Kendrapada district, was convicted in a case and trial was under way for another case. He had been undergoing a jail term since July 2013. Jitendra was suffering from depression for which he took the extreme step.
Das in his petition alleged that despite knowing Biswal’s state of mind the jail authorities had neither provided him psychiatric treatment nor taken him for counselling.
Thus, Jitendra’s death should be blamed on negligence on part of the jail authorities and the State Government should provide compensation to the next of kin of Biswal.
In its order, the commission said the father and mother of the deceased would get Rs 2 lakh each and his wife Rs 1 lakh from the compensation.