Undertrial prisoner from Uttarakhand killed by fellow inmate during clash in Bijnor jail

Indian Express

20-07-2025

A 25-year-old undertrial was assaulted and killed by a fellow inmate following a dispute inside the Bijnor district jail on Saturday, officials said, identifying the deceased as Ashu Chauhan, a native of Kashipur in Uttarakhand who had been lodged in the jail since October last year in a theft case.
In connection with the incident, the Kotwali police booked a case of culpable homicide against Zakib, 24, a resident of Bijnor who has been in jail since October 2023 on charges under the Indian Penal Code (robbery), the Gangsters Act, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Ravindra Nath, Jailor, Bijnor district jail, said on Saturday that the administration was informed about a clash between two undertrials in barrack number 13-B. A jail team immediately rushed to the spot and found Ashu Chauhan badly injured and unconscious, bleeding heavily. He was promptly taken to the jail hospital and later referred to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.
The news of the death caused panic inside the jail, the officer said.
During the preliminary inquiry, it was revealed that Ashu and Zakib's beds were placed next to each other. A dispute arose over the cleaning of the bed, which soon escalated into a heated argument, followed by an altercation.
The situation soon turned violent and other jail inmates rushed inside the barrack and intervened, but Chauhan had sustained serious injuries by that time, according to officials.
The body has been sent for a postmortem and its report is awaited.
Jail officials denied having received any prior information about any dispute between Chauhan and Zakib.
Chauhan's family reached the jail from Uttarakhand after being informed of his death. His body will handed over to his family after the postmortem.