Fifth inmate death in six weeks: Convict dies after jumping into jail furnace in Chhattisgarh

A double-murder convict died Wednesday, July 29, after jumping into the furnace of a biomass gasifier plant at Bilaspur Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, prompting authorities to order a judicial investigation, officials said on Thursday, July 30.

The death of Rahul alias Vikesh Kanwar, marks the fifth inmate death at the prison in the past six weeks, according to officials.

Kanwar, 46, a resident of Bamhanidih in Janjgir-Champa district, had been serving a life sentence since 2016 for double murder, a jail official said.

According to preliminary information, the wood- and biomass-based gasifier plant connected to the jail kitchen was operating Wednesday, July 29, evening when Kanwar ran toward the facility and jumped into the furnace, an official said. He suffered severe burns and died before jail staff and other inmates could pull him out, the official said.

Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agrawal, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh and senior jail officials went to the prison after the incident. A police team and forensic experts examined the scene and collected evidence, the official said.

Preliminary inquiry suggests the death was a suicide, but a judicial magisterial probe has been ordered to determine the exact circumstances, the official said. Police and jail authorities are continuing a detailed investigation.

Officials said this is the fifth death recorded at Bilaspur Central Jail in the past six weeks. On June 23, a convicted prisoner allegedly killed another inmate inside the jail. Three other inmates have since died in separate incidents attributed to illness and accidental injuries, officials said.