Rape convict commits suicide in Coimbatore central prison

Coimbatore: A 47-year-old inmate of the central jail here, who was convicted in a rape case, allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday, police said. Srinivasan of Rangasamudram in Erode district, was sentenced to undergo seven years imprisonment for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl a few months ago, they said.

Srinivasan, who was working on the jail premises, hanged himself from the ceiling fan on the verandah with a towel, police said.

When other prisoners raised an alarm, officials rushed to the spot and brought Srinivasan down and sent him to the Government Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The reason for the extreme step is not known yet, they said.