New Delhi: The Delhi government has proposed a new policy to provide Rs 7.5 lakh in compensation to the families of prisoners who die due to unnatural causes while in custody. This proposal is aimed at addressing grievances and promoting human rights within the prison system. The plan has been submitted to the lieutenant governor for approval.
According to the proposal, "unnatural custodial deaths" could result from incidents such as fights between inmates, mistreatment or abuse by prison staff, or negligence by medical officers. However, this compensation will not be offered in cases where death results from suicide, escape attempts, natural causes, or disasters.
Delhi's Home Minister Kailash Gahlot commented on the initiative, saying, "This policy highlights our dedication to ensuring justice and accountability in the prison system. By compensating the families of those who suffer unnatural deaths in custody, we are addressing their grievances and reinforcing human rights."
The home minister also emphasized that the policy aims to improve accountability and act as a deterrent against misconduct.
The proposal includes a provision to recover the compensation amount from the salaries of prison staff deemed responsible for custodial deaths. A committee, led by the director general of prisons, will investigate such cases and decide on any recovery of compensation from the officials found at fault.
To maintain transparency, the jail superintendent will submit a comprehensive report, including the magisterial inquiry report, postmortem findings, and the deceased's medical history, to the director general of prisons. This report will then be forwarded to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for review.
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