Delhi gang-rape case accused commits 'suicide'

Ram Singh, the prime accused in theA Deceber 16 gang-rapeA of a 23-year-old girl here, allegedly committed suicide in a high-security cell in Tihar Jail early this morning. According to prison authorities, the 33-year-old accused hanged himself with the help of his clothes from the grills of his cell in Jail No 3 at around 5 a.m. "There is already an inquiry which has been ordered by Tihar Jail on suicide of the main accused. We are enquiring into the matter," R P N Singh, Minister of State for Home Affairs, said. "Singh was not alone in the cell. Other inmates were present and a guard was also posted. But nobody came to know about it. Around 5 am he was found hanging," a senior jail official said. Singh, prone to violent behaviour and mood swings, had suicidal tendencies and was under "suicide watch," the official said. The accused, who was to be produced before court for its daily hearing, was rushed to the jail hospital where he was declared brought dead. His body will be taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for post mortem. Forensic experts have visited the Jail premises to collect samples. Mamata Sharma, National Women's Commission Chairperson, raised questions about the functioning of Tihar Jail, saying it was "shocking" that the administration could not protect the undertrial and demanded an inquiry. Former Tihar Director General Kiran Bedi said only an inquiry will tell under what special watch was he and what happened to that watch. "How did this man give this watch a slip? I think we need to wait for the inquiry," she said. Sources said he was under depression for the past couple of days and last evening, he even did not have food. Singh was arrested a day after theA Deceber 16 incidentA from near his home in R K Puram. His brother Mukesh is also an accused in the case along with four others. The girl was raped in the bus by him and his five associates, including a minor, in south Delhi after brutally beating her and also her male friend. TheA girl diedA in a Singapore hospital on December 29. Singh was the driver of the bus in which the girl was raped. His brother was driving the bus when the girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by them.

Ram Singh was murdered, says father Ram Singh, main accused in the Dec 16 gang-rape of a 23-year-old, did not commit suicide; he was murdered in Delhi's Tihar Jail, his family members said Monday. "He was killed and later hanged in the jail. He told us several times that he was threatened in the jail. We lodged a complaint in this regard. It was not suicide," said Mangey Lal, Ram Singh's father, talking to reporters outside Tihar jail. "He has already confessed to have committed the rape and sought death punishment. We have also said that he should be hanged. He was thrashed by Tihar inmates several times," Mr. Lal said. The family demanded an inquiry into the matter. "He couldn't have committed suicide, he accepted his crime. We want an inquiry into the matter," Ram Singh's mother, who was also outside the jail Monday, said.