Vinay Sharma, sentenced to death for the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape in Delhi, allegedly attempted suicide at a high-security cell in the Tihar Jail on Wednesday night.
Security staff at the jail, however, prevented his attempt to hang himself from the iron grill in his cell and rushed him to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in West Delhi.
Sharma did not require any emergency treatment and was declared fit to return to jail after medical examination. Jail sources and the police denied Sharma’s claim to have overdosed on medication, before trying to hang himself. However, the police as well as a jail officer authorised to brief the media denied that he had taken an overdose.
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A gym assistant until his arrest for the brutal gang rape-cum-murder of a physiotherapy student, Sharma is awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on his appeal against the death penalty. He had earlier alleged assault by fellow inmates and jail authorities and his demand for security in jail was accepted. His high-security cell is guarded by four to five personnel of the Tamil Nadu State Police at all times.
The latest incident involving him happened around 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday when most other inmates were asleep. “A security man noticed him trying to hang himself using a towel. The towel was untied from his neck after which we decided to immediately shift him to hospital,” said Bijendra Kumar, Superintendent of Tihar Jail Headquarters.
Mr. Kumar claimed that the convict appeared unharmed right from the moment he was sighted attempting suicide. “He walked to the ambulance without any help from the jail staff,” said Mr. sKumar, even as he avoided commenting on speculation by some that it could be a “drama” enacted by Sharma to influence his case.
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Staff at the DDU Hospital said Sharma was able to walk without any assistance at the hospital too, as he presented himself for various medical examinations.
Meanwhile, Sharma’s lawyer A.P. Singh alleged the incident was a conspiracy by the jail authorities to eliminate his client. “It is a case of attempt to murder. The jail authorities may not be directly involved in the attempt, but they have instigated other inmates to kill Sharma,” Mr. Singh said. But he said he was yet to meet the convict after the incident.
The police, meanwhile, said they have not received any written communication from Tihar Jail about the incident. “We may file a case of attempt to suicide against Sharma when we receive the incident report from jail authorities,” said Dependra Pathak, Joint CP (South-Western Range).