NHRC seeks action taken report from Bihar govt in undertrial prisoner death case

The NHRC on Friday said it has sought a report from the Bihar government on the action taken against doctors of a jail for their alleged negligence in the treatment of an undertrial prisoner who died in 2018.

In a statement, the National Human Rights Commission said it has considered a report from Inspector General (IG), Prisons and Reform Services, Bihar, on the payment of Rs 3 lakh as compensation in the case of death of the undertrial prisoner due to medical negligence.

It noted that the "report is silent on the final outcome of departmental proceedings against the doctors who were indifferent and negligent in treatment of the undertrial prisoner." The NHRC has therefore directed the chief secretary of the Bihar government to submit a report on the action taken against the doctors, it said.

The victim was imprisoned on July 8, 2018, and was undergoing treatment at the jail hospital. On July 14, 2018, he was referred to Sadar Hospital, Purnea, where the doctors declared him brought dead, the statement said.

The rights panel observed that the "magisterial inquiry has concluded that the victim was reported to be aggressive during the imprisonment. He was not treated professionally by the jail doctors and was even confined with handcuffs." The doctors also concealed the condition of the victim from the concerned state authorities, it claimed.

In his report, the magistrate clearly held that the "death happened due to medical negligence of the jail doctors," the statement said.

The NHRC, after examining the report of its Investigation Division, had further observed that "the victim was probably suffering from alcohol withdrawal and the violent methods used by the doctors resulted in his death." Therefore, the commission had issued a show-cause notice to the government of Bihar through its chief secretary, recommending a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased victim, the statement said.

In addition, the chief secretary was directed to take action on the basis of the findings of the magisterial inquiry report as medical negligence by the jail doctors had been established, it said.