Mubashir Alam
Srinagar, Jul 06 : The administration of Ladakh Union Territory has come up with a policy to provide compensation to the legal heirs of prisoners who die in jails.
As per the policy, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Rs seven lakh and 50 thousand would be paid to the kin of deceased in case of death due to quarrel amongst prisoners or due to torture/ beating by prison staff.
The policy provides that Rs five lakh would be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased in case of death due to negligence in duty by prison staff, medical and paramedical staff.
It further provides that family of the prisoner would be entitled to compensation of Rs five lakh in case he/ she commits suicide in prison.
The policy has become applicable to the Union Territory from July 05, the day when it was notified.
“This policy shall be applicable, as admissible, in respect of prisoners who suffer unnatural deaths in the jails of Union territory of Ladakh on or after the date of notification of this policy,” reads the policy document.
As per the policy, the UT’s Home Secretary has been authorized to sanction compensation in such cases.
“The superintendent of the concerned jail shall send a detailed report along with a copy of the magisterial inquiry report, postmortem report, final cause of death, medical history at the time of admission in jail and details of medical treatment, if any, given to the prisoner prior to his custodial death, to the head of prisons, Union territory, of Ladakh, for onward submission to the administration of Union territory of Ladakh for grant of appropriate compensation,” the policy states—(KNO)
