Deputy jailor among 4 booked for inmate's murder in Uttar Pradesh

Sitapur: Months after an inmate died in the district jail, the prison's deputy jailor and three others have been booked for murder, police said on Monday.

The inmate, Bablu Singh of Sitapur's Misrikh, died in April. He was lodged in the district jail in cases of molestation and those under the POCSO Act and the Gangster Act, they said.

Deputy Jailor Vijayalakshmi Gupta used to demand money from Singh and he was harassed if he did not pay. On April 14, Singh was beaten badly and he died as he was not given proper treatment, police said.

Singh's mother Seema lodged a police complaint in the matter and though post-mortem examination was conducted, no action was taken.

Seema moved court, which immediately ordered the Kotwali police to register a case in the matter.

Following the court order, police have booked Gupta, jail pharmacist Shailendra Verma, jail staff Sudhanshu Srivastava and another person under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). An investigation is under way and a report will be filed soon, Investigating Officer Alok Mani Tripathi said.