Kerala: DIG begins probe into jailed prisoner’s death

KOCHI: Central Zone prisons DIG Sam Thankayyan has started an investigation into the death of remand prisoner Shafeek, who died at Kottayam Medical College on Wednesday. He was admitted to the hospital after collapsing at Borstal School, the Covid care facility of Kakkanad district jail, on Tuesday.
Thankayyan visited the Kakkanad district jail on Thursday and collected statements from other inmates of the prison.The CCTV footage available from the prison premises were also inspected by the Central Zone DIG who has been tasked with investigation into the incident.
The family of the deceased has alleged foul play and possible custodial torture behind the death of the inmate, who hails from Kanjirapally. However, according to sources with the prisons department, prima facie the investigation team has not found any lapses from the side of the jail authorities.
“The man seemingly developed a seizure and collapsed subsequently. He could’ve sustained a head injury in the fall. The investigation team is waiting for an autopsy report before making a conclusive observation on the incident. However, it seems like the jail authorities rushed the inmate to General Hospital and subsequently to Kottayam Medical College soon after the incident and hence, prima facie, no lapses can be found in their conduct,” said a senior officer with the prisons department.
The DIG was unable to record the statement of senior officers at the district jail on Thursday as they were busy with the proceedings relating to the autopsy of the deceased. The source said that the DIG would meet senior officers, including the jail superintendent, on Friday to collect their statements.
Meanwhile, autopsy of the deceased is learnt to have been completed at Kottayam on Thursday.
Shafeek, 35, was arrested and remanded by Udayamperoor police on Monday. He collapsed at the Borstal School on Tuesday and died at hospital on Wednesday.
The case against the person was that he tricked a woman into believing that she was granted a pension of Rs 1.4 lakh and demanded Rs 7,000 as processing fee from her. The woman had given him Rs 3,000 and her ear-ring.
According to police, the man was brought to the station around 2.30pm and was presented at court around 5.45pm. He was later remanded in judicial custody.