Under-trial inmate dies by suicide in Delhi's Tihar jail; second in 5 days

A 29-year-old under-trial inmate died by suicide in Delhi's Tihar jail on Friday morning.

A 29-year-old under-trial inmate died by suicide in Delhi's Tihar jail on Friday morning - the second such incident in five days. According to officials, the inmate - identified as Raja alias Mahawar - was found hanging in the common bathroom of Ward-6 of Central Jail number 4. He was declared dead by the on-duty doctor of the jail at 11:53 am.

Tihar jail. (PTI photo)

Mahawar was facing trial under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act.

Officials said that the concerned authorities have been informed for taking further necessary action.

In a similar incident on May 23, a 26-year-old inmate of the Tihar central jail allegedly died by suicide within hours after he was convicted by a Delhi court in a robbery case. The inmate - identified as Jawed - was produced before the court on Monday, and was later found hanging in a jail bathroom.

According to the director general (prisons) Sanjay Baniwal, Jawed hanged himself from a tap in the bathroom with the help of a cloth at around 5 pm. “The staff later took him to the jail hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead,” he said.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).