Hyderabad: A 70-year-old remand prisoner died of cardiac arrest at the Chanchalguda central prison on Sunday.
The prisoner, N. Shankar Rao, was the father-in-law of N. Sushruta, who allegedly committed suicide in Saidabad a week ago after alleged harassment by her husband and in-laws for excessive use of the electric water heater at home.
Nuthalakanti Shankar Rao and his son N. Mohan Rao who were arrested for her suicide and charged with abetment to suicide, domestic violence and under provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act were remanded and sent to the Chanchalguda central prison on Wednesday.
He and his son were put in a barrack in block B of the prison. On Sunday morning, as usual his son gave him milk and biscuits. While having milk he complained of chest pain and collapsed. He was rushed immediately to Osmania Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
“He was already ill and was carrying medicines when he came here. He was gasping for breath during the journey but was declared brought dead,” Chanchalguda prison superintendent B. Saidaiah said. Based on his complaint, a case of custodial death was registered and the body was taken for autopsy. Doctors said myocardial arrest led to the death.
Meanwhile, Shankar Rao’s family alleged that it was the false allegations levelled against him by Sushruta’s family that triggered depression and hastened his death. There were no problems in the family before Mohan’s marriage, but the situation changed after that.
“I came into the family much before Sushruta but I never faced any problem. He was not guilty of her death. He loved both her kids very much and used to take them to school and pick them up every day,” Shankar Rao’s elder daughter-in-law said.
