Undertrial suffers burns, matter to be probed

An undertrial prisoner, who suffered severe burns today, was rushed to Nawada Sadar hospital from where he was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital.
The undertrial, 40-year-old Rupesh Paswan, alleged, "Jailor Lal Babu Singh and his accomplices Gopi Yadav and Brahmadev Yadav first beat me up severely. They then poured kerosene oil over me and burnt me."
Nawada District Magistrate, Lalan Ji however, said he has been informed by the jail authorities that Paswan had tried to "commit suicide" by setting himself on fire.
"I cannot comment right now on the allegations of the prisoner. Right now our priority is to save his life. We will conduct a probe into the incident," the DM said.

Meanwhile, Prisons Deputy Inspector General (Administration), Uma Kant Sharan has rushed to Nawada to investigate the incident.
He said he would be able to throw light on the incident only after probing the matter.

Doctors at the Nawada Sadar hospital said Paswan had suffered 80 per cent burns and referred him to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).
The district magistrate said the inmates of Nawada jail have been agitating for the last few days after they were stopped from using mobile phones and other banned articles.
But the inmates claimed before local reporters that they had launched an agitation for the last three days demanding better quality food and proper behaviour by the prison authorities.

Paswan was lodged in Nawada jail for offences under the Arms Act for the last four years.