Family cries foul over alleged suicide

SUICIDE\\ Bus driver Ram Singh, one of the six accused in the rape, torture and murder of the 23-year-old New Delhi physiotherapy student was found hanging in Tihar jail in this month. The 34-year-old Singh, the alleged ringleader in the attack, was found hanging by a rope made from blankets in a high-security cell he was sharing with three other prisoners. The death of the alleged rapist created furor, leading the deceased’s family to question security provided to inmates within Indian jails. The family alleged that the death was not a suicide, but a murder. The family’s lawyer claimed his client had extensive injury marks on his body, including a broken collarbone and ribs, and cuts to his face. The allegations contradict the findings of a post mortem report, which found Ram Singh died of asphyxia due to hanging and that his death “appeared suicidal in nature”. “There were no injuries on the victim's body, internal or external, other than the ligature mark. No suggestions of intoxication either. All organs were healthy,” said one of five doctors involved in the autopsy. Defence lawyer, V.K. Anand, who organised the release of the body to Singh’s family, has accused authorities of a “cover-up”.