A 30-year-old life convict in Central prison here allegedly committed suicide by hanging on the premises of the control tower in the prison.

Police said the convict was found missing during roll call on Wednesday, following which a search was conducted inside the campus. He was found hanging by a towel from the ceiling on the ground floor of the watch tower in the prison premises.

Murugan was sentenced to life for a murder in 2003 and lodged in central prison. He reportedly contacted his lawyer a few days ago on the status of his appeal filed in the Madras High court challenging the verdict of the local court awarding him life imprisonment in the case.

The lawyer reportedly told him there was no prospect of the lower court`s verdict being set aside. Dejected by this Murugan committed suicide.

The Sub collector to Revenue department Vijayakumar Bidhuri conducted an enquiry.

Meanwhile, secretary of the Federation of People`s Rights G Sugumaran said the prison was witnessing frequent incidents of inmates committing suicide or dying under suspicious circumstances. He urged the administration to constitute a committee, comprising officials of Police and Revenue departments and representatives of human rights organisation to enquire into the incidents.

He also demanded a review of the Jail Manual now adopted in the prison. Remission of sentences could be granted on certain occasions for those serving long prison terms, as had been done in bigger States, Sugumaran said.

(The Central prison was shifted to the new campus on a sprawling site at Kalapet some 17 kms from here recently from the century old campus in the heart of the town).

 

Source : DNA India