National Human Right Commission, NHRC, today asked the Punjab Government to pay five lakhs rupees as monetary relief in a case of death in prison. According to an official release issued in New Delhi, the commission has asked the government to give the relief money to the next of kin of deceased prisoner.

The move has come in the response of Punjab Police information to the Commission that in the month of July 2009 the prisoner was beaten up by the jail warden and subsequently he died while undergoing treatment. NHRC has also expressed concern over increasing deaths in judicial custody in the country. The Commission said during the last four months about 45 cases have appeared regarding monetary relief and punitive action against the delinquent officers of jail.