Shinde: Incident is "grave" and a "major lapse" of Tihar authorities

New Delhi, March 12: In a mysterious twist in the gruesome Delhi gangrape-cum-murder case, prime accused Ram Singh allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail early this morning but his family and lawyers claimed it was a murder.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was met by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit earlier on Monday, told a news conference that preliminary inquiry suggested that Singh committed suicide. He termed the incident as "grave" and a "major lapse" on the part of the prison department.

"Everything will come out in the inquiry by a magistrate," Shinde said when asked about allegations that Singh was murdered. Forensic experts and a Delhi Police team search the Jail premises to collect evidences.

In a development that raised questions over monitoring of under trials, jail officials said Ram Singh (35), who has a slight deformity in his right hand after an accident, hanged himself from a rod in the ceiling of his cell in Jail No 3 using his clothes.

Another version said that he hanged himself from the ventilator grill. However, officials, including Tihar Director General Vimla Mehra, declined to give details of how the death could have taken place, adding to its mystery.

An official statement of the jail authorities merely said Singh was "found hanging at 5:45 am". "The matter is being enquired into by the Judicial Officer as per Sec 176 of CrPC. The exact cause of death could be known after receipt of inquiry officer report, which also includes post mortem examination, report by forensic experts," it said.

Meanwhile, security for the other four adult accused has been stepped up in the wake of today's development. The news of death of Singh, a driver, immediately triggered demands from his lawyers and family for a CBI probe.

They alleged that he was murdered inside the jail and refused to accept that he had committed suicide.

Since it was a death under suspicious circumstances, Delhi government ordered an inquiry by a Metropolitan Magistrate. "Singh was not alone in the cell when he committed suicide. Three inmates were present and a guard was also posted. But nobody came to know about it. Around 5 AM, he was found hanging," a senior jail official said.

Prone to violent behaviour and mood swings, he had suicidal tendencies and was under "suicide watch", which was later lifted as he started socializing a bit, he said.