Byculla jail inmate death: Prison officials to face action, says Maharashtra home minister

Mumbai: Expressing shock over the recent death of a woman prisoner after she was allegedly thrashed by officials in the Byculla Jail, a senior Maharashtra government minister has said that all those who are found guilty will face action.

Ranjit Patil, Minister of State for Home, said that  Manjula Shetye's death was “completely avoidable” and officers responsible for it might be suspended in the near future.

The convict, Manjula Shetye (45), lodged in the women’s jail in Byculla in South Central Mumbai, died at the state- run JJ Hospital on Friday night after she was allegedly being beaten up by woman officials of the prison on June 23.

“The provisional post-mortem report is awaited. Currently, recording of statements of about 200 people is going on. As of now, we have suspended all those who were prima facie found guilty and murder charges have been slapped on them,” Patil was quoted as saying by PTI.

“The convict’s death could have been avoided, had there been an immediate intervention on part of the jail authorities. Now, responsibility will be fixed for lapses and once the investigation is completed, some big officers might be suspended as well in the near future,” he said.

The police had earlier suspended six jail staffers and booked them for murder. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into Shetye’s death, which had triggered a protest in the prison.

Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates, including Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea, who is lodged in the same prison, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Mukerjea had yesterday testified before a Mumbai court which later allowed her to file a case in the connection with Shetye's deadth.