Death in Tihar Jail: NHRC issues notices to Delhi Chief Secretary, Director General of Prisons

New Delhi [India], May 2 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Delhi Chief Secretary and the Director General of Prisons over the alleged killing of an under-trial prisoner by other inmates in Tihar jail.

"The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that an under-trial prisoner was killed and another injured in an attack by the other inmates in Tihar jail," NHRC said in a statement.

Reportedly, the attackers cut open the grill of the first floor of the ward and jumped onto the ground floor using bed sheets to attack the UTP. On April 14, one under-trial prisoner was allegedly killed and four others were injured in the fight between the rival gangs in Tihar jail after which the maximum security prison was reported put on high alert, NHRC stated.

"The Commission has observed that the contents of a media report, if true, amount to gross negligence on the part of the jail administration resulting in violation of jail inmates' human rights, which do not stop at the prison gates," it said.

The NHRC said that it has issued notices and called for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.

"Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi, and the Director General of Prisons, Delhi calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks. It should include steps taken/proposed to be taken to ensure the safety of the prisoners inside the Tihar Jail so that such violent and fatal incidents do not recur in the future," NHRC stated.

According to prison officials, Tajpuriya was lodged on the ground floor of Tihar's high-security ward and was attacked by four inmates alleged to be affiliated with the rival Gogi gang.

Members of the rival gang namely Deepak Teeter, Yogesh alias Tunda, Rajesh and Riyaz Khan had around 6:15 am cut open the iron grill installed on the first floor of the ward using an improvised saw. According to a prison official, the accused were lodged on the first floor of the same ward and they used an iron rod to attack Tajpuriya.

Tajpuriya, a resident of Delhi who headed the infamous Tillu gang, was arrested in 2016 for multiple crimes and had been in jail ever since.

Sunil Balyan alias Tajpuriya was the main accused in the Rohini court shootout case in September 2021 which left his friend-turned-rival gangster Jitender Maan alias Gogi dead.

The shooters, alleged associates of Tajpuriya had come dressed in lawyer's clothes and gunned Gogoi dead inside a courtroom in Rohini court. The two gunmen were immediately shot dead by the police team.

Tajpuriya and his gang's rivalry with another gang led by notorious gangster, Jitender Gogi dates back to 2009 when the pair were friends but supported different candidates in elections in Swami Shraddhanand College in Outer Delhi.