Jalpaiguri, 16 October (H.S.):

An undertrial prisoner died late Wednesday night in the police lockup at Dhupguri police station in Jalpaiguri district. The accused had been arrested on charges of murdering his second wife. He hanged himself in the police lockup late that night. However, the nature of the undertrial's suicide has raised many questions.

As per information, Prasanna Kumar Rai, a hotel employee, was accused of beating his second wife, Savitri Rai, last Friday. Rai was arrested after the woman died while undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Medical College on Saturday. The police from the Dhupguri police station took him to court and remanded him for questioning. He has been in the lockup since then. On Wednesday, he attempted suicide by using a rope from a blanket provided to prisoners. When other prisoners in the lockup found him hanging, they informed the police. He was later taken to Dhupguri Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

However, the district police officials have remained silent on the matter. An investigation has been launched into the prisoner's death.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey