Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the State government to submit a statement showing the number of unnatural deaths of undertrials and convicts from 2012 to October 2017.
A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar passed the interim order on a PIL petition, which was initiated based on a direction issued to all the High Courts by the Supreme Court.
The Bench also directed the government to submit details of payment of compensation to the kin of deceased prisoners along with the names of the deceased and their kin.
The apex court had asked all HCs to ascertain the number of prisoners who died unnaturally since 2012, and award suitable compensation to their kin if no compensation has been paid so far. It had also asked the authorities to take up remedial measure to prevent unnatural deaths, treating the right to good health as a human right of every prisoner.
