Two Tihar inmates dead, overdose likely

Sources said authorities are looking into the possibility of a drug overdose being the cause of death.

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The two were rushed to DDU hospital after jail authorities could not revive them.

Two days after an inmate was allegedly stabbed to death by undertrials outside Tihar Jail’s ward 15, two inmates were found dead under mysterious circumstances in jail number 8 on Thursday morning.

Police said the deceased have been identified as Ritesh Mittal (32) and Amit alias Panda (26). They were found unconscious in ward 2 of jail complex number 8 by jail inspectors. The two were rushed to DDU hospital after jail authorities could not revive them.

“Both Ritesh and Amit did not respond to treatment and passed away in hospital at 9.45 am. The bodies have been sent for an autopsy, which will help us ascertain the cause of death,” Tihar PRO Mukesh Prasad said.

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Jail authorities said prima facie there were no external injury marks on the bodies. Sources said authorities are looking into the possibility of a drug overdose being the cause of death as a few inmates said the inmates had been taking drugs on Wednesday night.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the deaths and a case has been registered in Hari Nagar police station. A senior jail official said all inmates of jail 8 and 9 are being questioned in the case. Ritesh had already served 11 years of his life sentence. Amit was convicted in an attempt-to-murder case.

Safety in the jail is a growing concern after a 40-year-old undertrial was allegedly stabbed to death by two inmates on Monday afternoon.

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