Overview
- The Maharashtra government has approved a policy offering Rs 5 lakh compensation for custodial deaths caused by negligence, violence, or accidents, and Rs 1 lakh for suicides in prison.
- Natural deaths due to old age, chronic illness, or deaths while on bail are excluded from compensation, but deaths from natural calamities remain covered under existing rules.
- The policy mandates thorough investigations, requiring jail superintendents to submit detailed reports reviewed at multiple administrative levels before compensation is granted.
- The initiative follows directives from the State Human Rights Commission to address recurring custodial deaths and prevent families from pursuing legal action for compensation.
- The policy, now officially announced, will be uniformly implemented across all prisons in Maharashtra, with provisions to hold officials accountable for negligence or misconduct.