Surat: A 26-year-old undertrial lodged in Lajpore jail since 2022 died by suicide in the early hours of Monday. Jail staff found him hanged in a bathroom and informed police, who have launched an investigation.Manish Kurmi Patel alias Vichitra had been arrested in connection with two murder and robbery cases.Sachin police inspector P N Vaghela told TOI: “We were informed by jail authorities about the incident. The victim used his ‘gamchha’ to hang himself. He went to bathroom and tied the gamchha on the grille where the exhaust fan was fixed and hanged himself. During a routine check, jail staff found out what had happened. They tried to save him but he was already dead.”Jail authorities alerted Sachin police, who shifted the body to New Civil Hospital for a postmortem.According to police, Patel was facing two serious cases involving murder and robbery in Surat city and Surat rural. Investigators said he had been under mental stress and had received treatment in the past.Vaghela said, “None came to meet him in jail for the last two years. We found a relative of his in UP and informed him about the death. We will get a postmortem done once his relative comes to Surat and hand over his body. We are investigating the death from various angles.”Murder undertrial dies during treatmentA murder accused lodged in Lajpore jail died while undergoing treatment at New Civil Hospital. Jayesh Halpati, 32, an undertrial in a murder case registered with Navsari Rural police, had a heart valve ailment. His health deteriorated on Oct 24 after he complained of illness to jail authorities. He was rushed to hospital, where he died during treatment on Oct 25. After a postmortem, the body was handed over to his family.
