The Delhi government has proposed a compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh for the families of prisoners who die due to unnatural causes while in custody in the city's jails.

According to a statement, the proposal, aimed at addressing grievances and upholding human rights within the prison system, has been submitted to the lieutenant governor for approval.

"Unnatural custodial deaths, as defined by the policy, may occur due to incidents such as quarrels between inmates, mistreatment or torture by prison staff, or negligence by medical officers," the statement said.

However, the compensation will not apply in cases of death by suicide, escape attempts, natural causes or disasters.

Commenting on the policy, Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot said, "This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring justice and accountability within the prison system. Providing compensation to the families of prisoners who suffer unnatural deaths in custody is a step towards addressing their grievances and upholding human rights." The home minister emphasised that the policy aims to foster accountability and serve as a preventive measure against misconduct.

Additionally, the proposal also includes provisions for recovering the compensation amount from the salaries of prison staff found responsible for custodial deaths, according to the statement.

A committee, led by the director general of prisons, will investigate such incidents and determine whether to recover compensation from the officials at fault.

To ensure transparency, a detailed report, including the magisterial inquiry report, postmortem findings, and the deceased's medical history, will be submitted by the jail superintendent to the director general of prisons and forwarded to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the statement added.

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