Salipur ‘rape’ accused attempts suicide in Odisha jail

Cuttack: The youth accused in Salipur rape case allegedly attempted to commit suicide inside jail out of shame and fear following his arrest and death of the victim.

Md Mustafa lodged in Salipur Sub Jail since April 23 in the alleged ‘rape’ of six-year-old girl, who breathed last on Sunday night, tried to end his life by hanging himself in jail toilet on May 1.

However, he did not succeed in his attempt.

According to reports, the accused had gone for toilet at around 10.30 am. When he did not come out of the room for a long time, an jail official entered there and found him with a cotton cloth making a knot for hanging himself.

He was rescued by the jail officials and went through counseling.

“The condition of the accused was good while he was brought to jail on directive by the court. He lost his mental stability after repeatedly hearing the news aired on TV channels claiming that it was first case in Odisha after Centre brought an ordinance recommending death sentence for the rape accused of minor girls. Later, he slowly went into depression,” said a jail official Runibala Dei.

The accused was spotted holding a cloth given to him at the jail and attempting to commit suicide inside the toilet.

“Although, we have not seen him trying to commit suicide, he confessed that he was trying to end his life as he had not committed any crime. He said that he is in trauma and depression and he wants to end his life before the government hangs him till death as his family has been shattered following his arrest in the case,” she said.

“I convinced him and asked the doctor for his treatment. Now, he is in good condition but he is in depression. He is kept under our watch for 24 hours. However, he is scared and nervous after his arrest,” the official said.

All the suicide equipment have been brought back from him and he has been lodged at ward number 4 in the custody of a warder, she added.

Notably, Mustafa was arrested within 24 hours of allegedly raping the minor girl inside a school campus at Salipur on April 21 in Cuttack district.

The victim was rescued unconscious and admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. However, she succumbed to her injuries on April 29.