New Delhi: Five prisoners at the high-security Tihar Jail in Delhi have died in the past eight days, a police official said on Saturday claiming all passed away from "natural causes".
The official, however, said that a "Magisterial inquiry under Sec 176 of the CrPC has been initiated in all the fatalities".
In a recent such death, deceased Vikram, also known as Vicky who was a jail convict died on Friday allegedly due to health-related issues, as per Tihar jail authorities.
The official said that the prisoner was found unconscious in his cell and was immediately taken to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead.
Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goyal said that these deaths of the prisoners took place in different jails and "none were related to any kind of violence".
"In all these, the circumstances indicate natural causes like old disease or other unknown reason," Goyal said, adding as per rules, inquest proceedings are being conducted by Metropolitan Magistrate in each case.
(Agency inputs)
