UTP Dies During Treatment At Hospital In Rourkela, Family Alleges Torture

Rourkela: An under-trial prisoner (UTP) died while undergoing treatment at a hospital while his family alleged that he was tortured in the jail in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

According to source, the UTP, Debabrata Singh of Barasuan under Lahunipada police station in Rourkela, was arrested by Excise officials for allegedly selling spurious liquor and sent to the Special Jail at Bonaigarh.

Later, Singh fell ill and was admitted in sub-divisional hospital at Bonai. Later, he was shifted to the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH). While undergoing treatment in RGH, he succumbed on Tuesday.

The doctors suspected the death to be caused by brain haemorrhage due to high blood pressure. “His blood pressure was very high. He might have suffered a brain haemorrhage,” said Dr Hasibul Alam Khan of the hospital.

But Singh’s family alleged that he was a victim of torture inside the jail. “How can his blood pressure suddenly rise so high to cause his death within two days? We hold the jail officials responsible for the death as we suspect he was tortured by them. We demand an investigation into his death,” said Pratap Singh, a family member of the UTP.