Mystery shrouds death of life convict in Udalguri jail

A Correspondent

TANGLA, June 2: Sensation prevails among the inmates of district jail, Udalguri following the mysterious suicide of a 39-year-old convict serving life imprisonment on Friday morning.

The deceased, identified as Babul Biswas, a native of Kathalguri village under Rowta PS in Udalguri, was accused in a murder case vide Rowta PS case no. 80/10 under IPC 302 way back in 2010. He was convicted on charges of murder on July 5, 2011 and was put in Mangaldai district jail. He was later shifted to Udalguri district jail on December 20, 2014 and he was living the life of a prisoner in the jail since then.

Biswas allegedly hung himself from the window with a gamosa which was witnessed by inmates on Friday morning. The body was later retrieved in presence of magistrate and police and sent for post-mortem. The magistrate, while talking to media persons, said that the deceased was found hanging with a gamosa by a window with one of his feet touching the ground while other touching a drum. He also termed it to be a mysterious case and did not rule out any foul-play.

"The police are investigating the matter and only after post-mortem report arrives everything will be clear," he stated. Though police sources claimed that the prisoner was mentally unstable and was undergoing regular treatment at Tezpur Mental Hospital, however, prison sources claimed that the prisoner was in sound health and had chatted with other inmates and even participated in naam-prasanga on Thursday evening. Whether it is a case of cold-blooded murder or suicide only impartial investigation and post-mortem report can reveal that. The prison authorities stated that they handed over the body to the family for last rites.