An undertrial prisoner, facing charges under the Pocso Act, allegedly died by suicide Thursday at the Bengaluru District Court premises when he was brought for the trial of the case.
The undertrial prisoner, 35, was arrested in April this year by the Bengaluru police on charges of raping a girl under the age of 16 under Section 65 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
The case emerged in April after the girl was found to be pregnant. The suspect worked at a store in Central Bengaluru, and was a relative of the victim’s family.
On Thursday, when he was brought for a hearing on evidence in the Pocso Act case, where charges had previously been framed, he reportedly sought to attend to nature’s call, and broke free from the police who were accompanying him.
The special fast-track court dealing with cases under the Pocso Act was later informed by the police that the accused had tried to run away after jumping from the building, but suffered serious injuries.
“Accused not produced before the court from judicial custody. Sri Gajendra Rao, ARSI, appeared before the court and submitted that the accused, after attending a natural call, though under protection, forcibly went and jumped from the building,” the special court said Thursday.
“He suffered injuries and was shifted to Victoria Hospital on the advice of the doctor available in the premises. Counsel for the accused is present. Call for a report from the jail authority regarding the health status of the accused and negligence of the concerned police in production of the accused,” the special court said.
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The Bengaluru police said he succumbed to his injuries at the Victoria Hospital.
Akshay Hakey, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru Central), said the Halasuru Gate police have registered a case under the provisions for attempting to escape from police custody.
At a hearing in the case earlier this month, the prosecution presented forensic reports to establish the accused’s role in the case.