HC seeks report on deaths in Tihar Jail

Taking suo moto cognizance of media reports about increasing number of deaths in Tihar Jail, the Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the city government to file a detailed report on the issue.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw asked Delhi government to look into the issue and submit a detailed report by July 23.

During the hearing, Delhi government's standing counsel Zubeda Begum told the court that judicial inquiry is going on in the death cases and action will be taken after the completion of probe.

The bench took suo moto cognizance after Justice S. Murlidhar of the court wrote a letter to the chief justice after going through media reports and said "much more needs to be done" in the matter.

As per media reports, Tihar Jail, Asia's biggest prison, witnessed a 100 percent increase in prisoner deaths in 2013 compared to 2012.

According to the data provided by the Tihar Jail authorities, 36 prisoners were confirmed dead in the prison in 2013 and the number has already crossed 15 till April this year, said the reports.