Suicide or Murder? Questions Arise On Death

The suicide by prime Delhi gangrape accused Ram Singh, as alleged by police, sprung a spate of questions Monday, such as how he got hold of the accessories for committing the act and the ignorance of his cell mates, with the silence of the authorities fuelling further doubt and speculation.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said: “I can’t come to a conclusion now… Let us wait… The details would come (out) in the magisterial inquiry”.

What has raised doubts is whether a “rug” – or a durri in Hindi – can be used to commit suicide by hanging. Are not rugs a bit too thick for making a noose. Else, did Ram Singh shred the rug to make a rope? This would have taken him a few days at least and it would have been difficult to hide it.

Delhi gangrape accused Ram Singh committed suicide yesterday. Screen grab/ibnlive
The fundamental question dogging the public mind is how could his three cell mates sleep through the entire incident, which came to light at 5.45 am, Tihar Jail officials said.

The authorities refused to identify his fellow prisoners.

Also, police sources said they got a call about the hanging at 7 am.

The question is why was the police called so late when the incident occured at 5.45 a.m – the time given by the Tihar officials in a statement.

According to the jail schedule, the daily prayer is at around 6.30 a.m. and breakfast is served at around 7.30 a.m.

If the morning prayer is at around 6.30 a.m. how come no one noticed Ram Singh was missing as that’s the time when the inmates get up and ready for the morning chores.

Police sources said Ram Singh’s body was hanging till then. Why the delay?

The family members of the deceased are claiming that Ram Singh could not have committed suicide as he was satisfied with the court hearing.

Ram Singh was lodged inside Tihar‘s Jail No. 3 since 23 December. Again, jail authorities refused to give the exact cell number where he was kept.

Tihar has 9 jails. Each jail has barracks in which there are wards. The prisoners are kept inside separate cells within these wards.

Another question which remains unanswered is why Tihar authorities lifted the suicide watch a few weeks back and why was he not put in a high-security jail as he was the prime accused in the gang-rape case.

Ram Singh’s father, who regularly met him in jail, claimed that he was on an earlier occasion assaulted by fellow inmates and sought to know why his cell was not changed frequently following this incident.

Last but not the least, how could the guard on duty did not detect anything amiss during the night?

Ram Singh is said to have slept at 2.30 a.m. after talking to the three inmates he was warded with. Tihar jail has refused to give details on the three inmates.