4 months ago
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Opposition members caused an uproar successful the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly connected Thursday (February 26, 2026) implicit the caller custodial decease of a tribal person aft the State authorities informed the House that 66 inmates had died successful the State’s jails betwixt January 2025 and January 31 this year.
During the question hour, erstwhile Chief Minister and elder Congress person Bhupesh Baghel asked a question connected the fig of custodial deaths successful State’s jails successful the past 13 months. He besides asked whether judicial inquiries successful each specified cases had been completed successful accordance with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) guidelines.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma replied that 66 inmates, including convicts, died successful cardinal and territory jails crossed the State during the 13 months ended connected January 31, 2026. Of these, inquiries by judicial magistrates, mandatory successful custodial deaths, person been completed successful 18 deaths, and the process was nether mode successful different cases, helium added successful his reply.
Following this, Mr. Baghel raised the contented of tribal person Jeevan Thakur, who died connected December 4 past twelvemonth aft falling sick portion successful judicial custody, and sought details of the case.
Mr. Sharma told the House that Thakur was initially lodged successful a jailhouse successful Kanker territory and aboriginal shifted to a situation successful the State superior Raipur pursuing a tribunal order. After his wellness deteriorated, Thakur was admitted to the Raipur territory infirmary and aboriginal to the State-run Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial Hospital successful Ranchi, wherever helium died during treatment, helium added.
A committee was constituted to behaviour an enquiry into the decease arsenic per procedure, Mr. Sharma said. The Opposition MLAs, including Mr. Baghel and Savitri Manoj Mandavi, questioned the circumstances astir his decease and claimed that helium had been implicated successful a mendacious case.
Thakur, Mr. Baghel alleged, was diabetic and did not person timely medicine successful prison, and determination were complaints that the jailhouse superintendent ignored doctors’ proposal and denied due aesculapian attraction to him.
He besides demanded that a committee of the Assembly probe the matter.
The Deputy CM past said that the judicial enquiry process should archetypal beryllium allowed to conclude. As the Congress MLAs stood up and raised slogans against the government, the Speaker attempted to reconstruct bid successful the House. However, the Opposition members staged a walkout from the House.
