Ugandan lodged in Tihar Jail dies during treatment

She probably suffered a cardiac arrest during the medical procedure and died, they said. She had suffered an injury to the right hand during a protest on June 16 by some foreign inmates in jail number 6, women jail, when the prison staff had to resort to use of force to control them, a senior Tihar official said.

A 43-year-old Uganda national, who was lodged in Tihar Jail number 6, has died during treatment at a hospital in Delhi, the prison officials said on Friday. The woman inmate was sent to the Orthopaedic Department of DDU hospital on July 25 for a hand surgery (dislocation of metacarpal joint). She probably suffered a cardiac arrest during the medical procedure and died, they said.

She had suffered an injury to the right hand during a protest on June 16 by some foreign inmates in jail number 6, women jail, when the prison staff had to resort to use of force to control them, a senior Tihar official said. According to the jail officials, the foreign inmates were protesting and demanding that they be released based on interim bail.

The Tihar Jail authority had released several inmates to reduce overcrowding in prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The woman was sent to the jail on July 6 last year in a case registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau.

As per diagnosis of the jail doctors, including SR Orthopaedic, she had a dislocation in right hand (metacarpophalangeal joint dislocation) for which proper treatment was given to her in line with the medical requirements. According to the officials, the injury was not very serious.

"She was under regular medical observation in jail. The jail orthopaedic doctor treated her with 'Close reduction' as per medical practice. When this did not work, she was referred to DDU hospital, where the doctors after examination decided to go for 'Open reduction and K wire fixation' i.e. surgery," Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said. Her other parameters were normal and she did not have any other co-morbidity, they said.

The officials said proper legal action has been taken and inquest proceedings are being conducted..