Lok Sabha Question No. 471 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Natural and Unnatural Deaths in Prisons
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY, ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 471

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 06 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018 / MAGHA 17, 1939 (SAKA)

NATURAL AND UNNATURAL DEATHS IN PRISONS

471. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY: SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  cases  of  natural  and  unnatural  deaths  have  been  reported  in various  prisons  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  total  number  of  such  cases reported separately during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(b) whether any inquiry or magisterial inquiries have been conducted in these cases, if so, the details and outcome thereof during the said period, State-wise; and

(c)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  implement  the  recommendations made  by  the  National  Human  Rights  Commission  (NHRC)  in  its  2014  report, 'Suicide in Prison' and subsequent NHRC guidelines on prevention of suicide in prisons?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) :  State/UT wise details of natural and unnatural deaths of prison inmates for  the  years  2014,  2015  and  2016,  compiled  by  the  National  Crime  Records

Bureau, are indicated in the statement at Annexure-I.

## L.S.US.Q NO.471 FOR 06.02.2018

(b): The data on the number of magisterial enquiries conducted by the States on the death of prison inmates in the prisons is not maintained centrally.

(c):  The monograph 'Prevention of Suicide in Prisons' prepared by the National Human Rights Commission as well as its guidelines on prevention of suicide in prisons were circulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs to all States and UTs on  10.10.2017.    Besides  this,  Nelson  Mandela  Rules  and  the  Guidelines  on Investigating Deaths in Custody issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross were also forwarded to all States and UTs and they were advised to make all efforts to reduce and possibly eliminate unnatural deaths in prisons.

*********

State/UT-wise Incidence of Deaths of Inmates due to Various Causes in Prisons during 2014

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          |                |          |             |                   | Unnatural Deaths                    | Unnatural Deaths     | Deaths                                       |         | Total Col.4 To 10   | Total (Col.3+ Col.11)   |
|-----------|-------------------|----------------|----------|-------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------|---------------------|-------------------------|
|           |                   | Natural Deaths | Suicid e | Execu- tion | Murder by Inmates | due to Assaul t by Out- side Eleme- | Deaths due To Firing | due to Negli- gence / Excess by Jail Personn | Other s |                     |                         |
| (1)       | (2)               | (3)            | (4)      | (5)         | (6)               | (7)                                 | (8)                  | (9)                                          | (10)    | (11)                | (12)                    |
| 1         | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 49             | 2        | 0           | 1                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 3                   | 52                      |
| 2         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 0              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0                       |
| 3         | ASSAM             | 24             | 1        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 1                   | 25                      |
| 4         | BIHAR             | 96             | 2        | 0           | 3                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 1       | 6                   | 102                     |
| 5         | CHHATTISGARH      | 43             | 2        | 0           | 1                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 3                   | 46                      |
| 6         | GOA               | 2              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 2                       |
| 7         | GUJARAT           | 16             | 3        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 1       | 4                   | 20                      |
| 8         | HARYANA           | 32             | 4        | 0           | 1                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 5       | 10                  | 42                      |
| 9         | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 3              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 1                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 1                   | 4                       |
| 10        | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 4              | 2        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 2                   | 6                       |
| 11        | JHARKHAND         | 57             | 2        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 1       | 3                   | 60                      |
| 12        | KARNATAKA         | 78             | 15       | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 15                  | 93                      |
| 13        | KERALA            | 42             | 3        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 2       | 5                   | 47                      |
| 14        | MADHYA PRADESH    | 122            | 3        | 0           | 1                 | 1                                   | 1                    | 0                                            | 0       | 6                   | 128                     |
| 15        | MAHARASHTRA       | 96             | 6        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 6                   | 102                     |
| 16        | MANIPUR           | 2              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 2                       |
| 17        | MEGHALAYA         | 2              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 2                       |
| 18        | MIZORAM           | 2              | 1        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 1                   | 3                       |
| 19        | NAGALAND          | 6              | 1        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 1                   | 7                       |
| 20        | ODISHA            | 43             | 1        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 43      | 44                  | 87                      |
| 21        | PUNJAB            | 218            | 10       | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 2       | 12                  | 230                     |
| 22        | RAJASTHAN         | 33             | 6        | 0           | 3                 | 0                                   | 1                    | 1                                            | 1       | 12                  | 45                      |
| 23        | SIKKIM            | 0              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0                       |
| 24        | TAMIL NADU        | 51             | 5        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 5                   | 56                      |
| 25        | TELANGANA         | 52             | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 52                      |
| 26        | TRIPURA           | 7              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 7                       |
| 27        | UTTAR PRADESH     | 298            | 18       | 0           | 1                 | 1                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 2       | 22                  | 320                     |
| 28        | UTTARAKHAND       | 15             | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 2       | 2                   | 17                      |
| 29        | WEST BENGAL       | 82             | 9        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 12      | 21                  | 103                     |
|           | TOTAL (STATES)    | 1475           | 96       | 0           | 11                | 3                                   | 2                    | 1                                            | 72      | 185                 | 1660                    |
| 30        | A & N ISLANDS     | 0              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0                       |
| 31        | CHANDIGARH        | 1              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 1                       |
| 33        | DAMAN & DIU       | 0              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0                       |
| 32        | D & N HAVELI      | 0              | 0        | 0           | 0                 | 0                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0                       |
| 35        | LAKSHADWEEP       | 0              | 0        |             | 0                 | 1                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 0       |                     | 40                      |
| 34        | DELHI             | 31             | 5        | 0           | 2                 |                                     |                      | 0                                            | 1       | 9 0                 |                         |
| 36        | PUDUCHERRY        | 0              | 0        | 0 0         | 0                 | 0 0                                 | 0 0                  | 0                                            | 0       | 0                   | 0 0                     |
|           | TOTAL (UTs)       | 32             | 5        | 0           | 2                 | 1                                   | 0                    | 0                                            | 1       | 9                   | 41                      |
|           | TOTAL (ALL-INDIA) | 1507           | 101      | 0           | 13                | 4                                   | 2                    | 1                                            | 73      | 194                 | 1701                    |

Source: Prison Statistics India

## State/UT-wise Incidence of Deaths of Inmates due to Various Causes in Prisons during 2015

| Sl. No.   | State/UT          |                | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths     | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths       | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths Deaths Deaths   |                       |
|-----------|-------------------|----------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------|
| Sl. No.   | State/UT          | Natural Deaths | Suicide                          | Execu- tion                      | Murder by Inmates                | due to Assault by Out- side Eleme- | Deaths due To Firing             | due to Negli- gence / Excess by Jail | Others                           | Total Col.4 To 10                | Total (Col.3+ Col.11) |
| (1)       | (2)               | (3)            | (4)                              | (5)                              | (6)                              | nts (7)                            | (8)                              | Personnel (9)                        | (10)                             | (11)                             | (12)                  |
| 1         | ANDHRA PRADESH    | 35             | 6                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 6                                | 41                    |
| 2         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 1              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 1                     |
| 3         | ASSAM             | 28             | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 30                    |
| 4         | BIHAR             | 83             | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 1                                | 84                    |
| 5         | CHHATTISGARH      | 50             | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 50                    |
| 6         | GOA               | 1              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 1                     |
| 7         | GUJARAT           | 24             | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 26                    |
| 8         | HARYANA           | 44             | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 46                    |
| 9         | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 5              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 2                                | 2                                | 7                     |
| 10        | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 2              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 2                     |
| 11        | JHARKHAND         | 37             | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 1                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 3                                | 5                                | 42                    |
| 12        | KARNATAKA         | 65             | 9                                | 0                                | 1                                | 1                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 11                               | 76                    |
| 13        | KERALA            | 41             | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 2                                | 2                                | 43                    |
| 14        | MADHYA PRADESH    | 131            | 4                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 4                                | 135                   |
| 15        | MAHARASHTRA       | 107            | 6                                | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 7                                | 114                   |
| 16        | MANIPUR           | 3              | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 1                                | 4                     |
| 17        | MEGHALAYA         | 4              | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 1                                | 5                     |
| 18        | MIZORAM           | 2              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 2                     |
| 19        | NAGALAND          | 0              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 0                     |
| 20        | ODISHA            | 43             | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 45                    |
| 21        | PUNJAB            | 173            | 4                                | 0                                | 0                                | 1                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 5                                | 178                   |
| 22        | RAJASTHAN         | 56             | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 58                    |
| 23        | SIKKIM            | 0              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 0                     |
| 24        | TAMIL NADU        | 63             | 5                                | 0                                | 0                                | 1                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 6                                | 69                    |
| 25        | TELANGANA         | 33             | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 33                    |
| 26        | TRIPURA           | 1              | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 1                                | 2                     |
| 27        | UTTAR PRADESH     | 302 14         | 9                                | 0                                | 1                                | 3 0                                | 0 0                              | 0                                    | 8                                | 21 2                             | 323 16                |
| 28        |                   |                |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                    |                                  | 0                                    |                                  |                                  |                       |
|           | UTTARAKHAND       |                | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                |                                    |                                  |                                      | 0                                |                                  |                       |
| 30        | A & N ISLANDS     | 1              | 2                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 2                                | 3                     |
| 31        | CHANDIGARH        | 4              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 0                                | 4                     |
| 32        | D & N HAVELI      | 0              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    |                                  | 0                                | 0                     |
|           |                   |                |                                  |                                  |                                  |                                    |                                  |                                      | 0                                |                                  |                       |
| 34        | DELHI             | 30             | 4                                | 0                                | 9                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 2                                | 15                               | 45                    |
| 33        | DAMAN & DIU       | 0              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                | 0                     |
| 35        | LAKSHADWEEP       | 0              | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                |                                      | 0                                | 0                                | 0                     |
| 36        | PUDUCHERRY        | 0              | 1                                | 0                                | 0                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 0                                | 1                                | 1                     |
|           | TOTAL (UTs)       | 35             | 7                                | 0                                | 9                                | 0                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 2                                | 18                               | 53                    |
|           | TOTAL (ALL-INDIA) | 1469           | 77                               | 1                                | 11                               | 7                                  | 0                                | 0                                    | 19                               | 115                              | 1584                  |

Source: Prison Statistics India-2015

## State/UT-wise Incidence of Deaths of Inmates due to Various Causes in Prisons during 2016 (Provisional)

| Sl. No.   | State/UT           | Natural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths                          | Unnatural Deaths     | Unnatural Deaths                            | Unnatural Deaths   | Unnatural Deaths   |                       |
|-----------|--------------------|------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|
| Sl. No.   | State/UT           | Natural Deaths   | Suicide            | Execu- tion        | Murder by Inmates  | Deaths due to Assault by Out- side Eleme- | Deaths due To Firing | Deaths due to Negli- gence / Excess by Jail | Others             | Total Col.4 To 10  | Total (Col.3+Col.1 1) |
| (1) 1     | (2) ANDHRA PRADESH | (3) 26           | (4) 4              | (5) 0              | (6) 0              | nts (7) 0                                 | (8) 0                | Personnel (9) 0                             | (10) 0             | (11) 4             | (12) 30               |
| 2         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH  | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 3         | ASSAM              | 50               | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 1                  | 2                  | 52                    |
| 4         | BIHAR              | 75               | 3                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 3                  | 78                    |
| 5         | CHHATTISGARH       | 5                | 3                  | 0                  | 1                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 4                  | 9                     |
| 6         | GOA                | 1                | 0                  | 0                  | 1                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 1                  | 2                     |
| 7         | GUJARAT            | 30               | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 1                  | 3                  | 33                    |
| 8         | HARYANA            | 33               | 11                 | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 11                 | 44                    |
| 9         | HIMACHAL PRADESH   | 4                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 4                     |
| 10        | JAMMU & KASHMIR    | 5                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 5                     |
| 11        | JHARKHAND          | 40               | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 4                  | 6                  | 46                    |
| 12        | KARNATAKA          | 53               | 4                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 4                  | 57                    |
| 13        | KERALA             | 36               | 4                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 5                  | 41                    |
| 14        | MADHYA PRADESH     | 141              | 4                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 9                  | 13                 | 154                   |
| 15        | MAHARASHTRA        | 111              | 7                  | 0                  | 2                  | 0                                         | 1                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 10                 | 121                   |
| 16        | MANIPUR            | 0                | 1                  | 0                  | 3                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 4                  | 4                     |
| 17        | MEGHALAYA          | 2                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 18        | MIZORAM            | 2                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 19        | NAGALAND           | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 20        | ODISHA             | 45               | 3                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 3                  | 48                    |
| 21        | PUNJAB             | 150              | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 2                  | 152                   |
| 22        | RAJASTHAN          | 78               | 6                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 6                  | 84                    |
| 23        | SIKKIM             | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 24        | TAMIL NADU         | 50               | 7                  | 0                  | 0                  | 1                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 3                  | 11                 | 61                    |
| 25        | TELANGANA          | 24               | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 24                    |
| 26        | TRIPURA            | 2                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 27        | UTTAR PRADESH      | 376              | 20                 | 0                  | 2                  | 1                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 7                  | 30                 | 406                   |
| 28        | UTTARAKHAND        | 13               | 2                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 2                  | 15                    |
| 29        | WEST BENGAL        | 79               | 6                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 1                  | 7                  | 86                    |
|           | TOTAL (STATES)     | 1431             | 91                 | 0                  | 9                  | 4                                         | 1                    | 0                                           | 26                 | 131                | 1562                  |
| 30        | A & N ISLANDS      | 0                | 1                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 1                  | 1                     |
| 31        | CHANDIGARH         | 2                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 2                     |
| 32        | D & N HAVELI       | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 33        | DAMAN & DIU        | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 34        | DELHI              | 32               | 3                  | 0                  | 1                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 4                  | 36                    |
| 35        | LAKSHADWEEP        | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
| 36        | PUDUCHERRY         | 0                | 0                  | 0                  | 0                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 0                  | 0                     |
|           | TOTAL (UTs)        | 34               | 4                  | 0                  | 1                  | 0                                         | 0                    | 0                                           | 0                  | 5                  | 39                    |
|           | TOTAL (ALL-INDIA)  | 1465             | 95                 | 0                  | 10                 | 4                                         | 1                    | 0                                           | 26                 | 136                | 1601                  |

Source: Prison Statistics India