BALURGHAT, Feb. 6 -- Tension prevailed at the Balurghat Central Correctional Home on Thursday evening after a convicted prisoner was found hanging inside his cell, once again raising concerns over prison security and the mental health care of inmates.
According to jail sources, the deceased has been identified as Utpal Mandal (43), a resident of Harishchandrapur in Malda district. He had been convicted in a murder case in 2018 and was serving a life sentence at the Balurghat Central Correctional Home.
On Thursday evening, Mandal was found hanging inside his cell, allegedly using a bag strap tied around his neck. Jail staff rushed to rescue him but he was declared dead.
Upon receiving information, personnel from Balurghat Police Station reached the spot and recovered the body, which was sent to the Balurghat District Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination on the same day at night. Police have started an investigation to ascertain how the inmate managed to obtain the strap inside the highly secured prison premises.
Officials said it would be clear only after the autopsy report whether it was a case of suicide or if any other factor was involved.
Superintendent of Balurghat Central Correctional Home, Debashis Mandal, stated that the deceased inmate had been suffering from mental health issues for some time and was undergoing regular treatment. "The matter is being examined with utmost seriousness. We will also look into whether there was any lapse in internal security or surveillance," he said.
The incident, which occurred inside a high-security correctional facility, has left jail authorities visibly concerned. Police have begun questioning other inmates and jail staff as part of the ongoing investigation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.