‘Serious lapse but won’t affect Delhi gang-rape case`

The NCW chairperson Mamata Sharma on Monday demanded a thorough probe by competent authorities to ascertain what pushed Ram Singh, a key accused in Delhi gang-rape case, to commit suicide.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Mamata Sharma on Monday demanded a thorough probe by competent authorities to ascertain what pushed Ram Singh, one of the key accused in the December 16 Delhi gang-rape case, to commit suicide in his cell. “Suicide in a high security jail like Tihat is a mater of serious security lapse. The authorities must conduct a thorough probe to ascertain what led Ram Singh to tale such extreme step.” However, the NCW chief said, “Ram Singh’s suicide will not affect the ongoing trial in the December 16 Delhi gang-rape case.” Meanwhile, former NCW chairperson Pornima Advani holds a different opinion on Ram Singh’s suicide, which, she says, has added a new twist to the case. “Ram Singh’s suicide will surely affect the trial in the Delhi gang-rape case,” Pornima Advani said, adding, “Suicide in a high profile jail is a serious lapse on part of Tihar Jail administration.” . In her reaction to the development, former Tihar DG Kiran Bedi said, “I am not surprised by the suicide by Ram Singh since accused in heinous crimes are often isolated and umiliated.” In what has come as a huge embarrassment for the Tihar jail administration, Ram Singh committed suicide at Tihar Jail in the wee hours today. He was lodged in the cell no 3 and was also on suicide watch. His body was later taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in the capital for post-mortem. Ram Singh was the driver of the bus in which six men inflicted horrific assault on 23-year-old student Amanat (Not her real name) in Delhi. Besides Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh and three other men are being tried in the case. The sixth accused is a minor and is being tried separately by the Juvenile Justice Board. Tihar Jail officials said the five men at Tihar were lodged in isolated cells after other inmates taunted them and also tried to attack them. They were also under a "suicide watch". The men are accused of gang-raping and brutally assaulting the student on December 16 last year and then throwing her out of the bus along with a man she was with that evening. The incident sparked outrage in the country and people took to the streets to demand the most stringent punishment for the accused. With Agency inputs