Life‑time Murder Convict Found Hanged in Thiruvananthapuram Prison

A 51‑year‑old murder convict was found dead after hanging himself in his cell at Poojapura Central Prison and Correctional Home in Thiruvananthapuram, police said on Thursday. The prisoner was identified as Sreenivasan, a native of Kollengode in Palakkad, who has been serving a life term for a 2004 murder verdict handed by the Additional Sessions Fast Track Court in his home district. Prison staff discovered him hanging from the ceiling of cell No 17 in the 12th block, where inmates receiving medical treatment are housed, at about 9:10 pm on Wednesday. He was rushed to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, where the duty doctor examined him and declared him dead, according to the FIR. The FIR was lodged under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita based on a written complaint from the prison’s joint superintendent. Records show Sreenivasan was moved from Nettukaltheri Open Jail to the central prison in December 2019 after he absconded while on parole. Police noted that he had recently been diagnosed with cancer and was suffering from depression. A post‑mortem will be conducted before his body is handed over to relatives. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the circumstances of his death.

Context

Suicides among inmates with serious illnesses are closely watched by prison officials, as they highlight the need for mental‑health support and monitoring within correctional facilities.