Tihar struggles to explain the death

The death of Delhi gangrape main accused Ram Singh, who was found hanging in his Tihar cell early Monday, has given rise to many questions that jail officials are struggling to explain.

Consider these

n Officials dismissed allegations of foul play and called it suicide — Singh's parents said it was murder — but could not explain why none of the three undertrials who shared the 15x12 feet room with Singh heard or saw anything while he prepared a noose, stood on a bucket, fastened the noose and hanged himself. The noose had been fastened to an iron grille in the skylight, eight feet from the floor. Officials claimed Singh's cell mates said they were fast asleep and woke up only when the guard raised the alarm.

n Jail officials claimed Singh was seen chatting with his cell mates around 2 am. At 3.15 am, the guard saw Singh lying down. At 5.45 am, he was found hanging. So did the guard not check on the inmates for two and half hours?Officials said it takes a guard nearly 30 minutes to do a round of all 25 cells in the ward. In two and half hours, he should have done five rounds — walking past Singh's cell each time. The guard is being questioned and his statement will be recorded.

n Officials are not sure how and when did Singh make a noose. It appears highly improbable that Singh, in the two and half hours the cell was left unattended, tore a rug, pulled out and wove the threads for a noose, dragged a bucket to climb on, fastened the noose to a grille eight feet above and hanged himself — without his cell mates or the guard hearing any noise. The guard would have passed his cell five times in between.

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