2 inmates die in prison

Two inmates of Chattogram Central Jail died yesterday at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) after both fell sick.

One of the deceased was identified as Md Rafiq, 58, who landed in jail on March 27 in a case filed with Chandanish Police Station over a clash between two rival groups.

Around 4:00am yesterday, he fell sick and the on-duty guards took him to the prison's hospital, said Dewan Md Tariqul Islam, the jailor of Chattogram Central Jail.

As Rafiq's physical condition deteriorated, he was taken to the CMCH, where the on-duty doctors declared him dead.

Rafiq's family maintains his death was due to the negligence of the jail authorities and the police in giving him proper treatment.

"We have a longstanding rivalry with our political opponent in our area. On March 26, our opponent group attacked us with lethal weapons -- my brother was seriously injured in the attack," said Jamal Uddin, Rafiq's elder brother.

Rafiq managed to flee the scene of violence and went to the Chandanish police station for safety.

But the police locked him up on the charge of his involvement in the bout. His rivals went to the police station and beat him up in the absence of the officer-in-charge, Jamal said.

Later, Rafiq was shown arrested in a case of violence filed by the other side.

"My brother was not given proper treatment in the police station. Rather, he was sent to jail the next day with his physical injuries," Jamal added.

Anwar Hossain, the OC of Chandanish police station, denies the allegations of an attack on Rafiq inside the police station.

Rafiq and their rival group locked into a clash in the village and the police registered cases against both groups. The OC, however, did not elaborate on the incident.

In a separate incident, Md Babul Mia, 38, died at CMCH after complaining of chest pains in the early hours of yesterday.

Babul, who landed in jail on November 18 last year in a drug case field with Chandanish police station, was taken to the prison hospital. Later, he was shifted to the CMCH's emergency ward, where he died.

Both the bodies were sent to CMCH morgue for autopsy, Islam said.