The Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has recommended payment of ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of a remand prisoner who died in custody in Nizamabad in 2017, holding jail authorities responsible for negligence that led to the custodial death.
The commission examined the death of Makkala Hanmanthu, also known as Nani, who died on September 8, 2017 at around 5 p.m. while undergoing treatment at the Government General Hospital in Nizamabad. The case was initially reported by the Commissioner of Police, Nizamabad, and was also registered with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) before being closed there as the TGHRC had already taken cognisance of the matter. The TGHRC reviewed the magisterial inquiry report and other material on record.
The II Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Nizamabad, who conducted the inquiry, concluded that the deceased died by suicide using a wire available within the jail premises, pointing to negligence on the part of jail authorities. The forensic report further confirmed that the cause of death was asphyxia consequent to hanging.
Based on these findings, the TGHRC observed that the presence of a wire inside a secure custodial environment, which could be used as a ligature, reflected a serious lapse in vigilance and supervision by prison authorities.
“Undertrials in judicial custody are entirely dependent on prison administration for their safety, security and well-being, and the authorities have a duty to prevent self-harm. The failure to detect or restrict access to potentially dangerous materials amounted to actionable negligence and a breach of statutory and constitutional obligations,” the commission said.
Taking into account the totality of circumstances, the Commission recommended that the Chief Secretary to the Government of Telangana pay ₹5 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased. “The compensation would serve both as reparation for the loss suffered by the family and as a deterrent against future negligence in custodial administration,” the TGHRC said.
Published – March 20, 2026 08:03 pm IST
