New Delhi, August 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Delhi Government has notified a compensation scheme providing financial assistance of up to Rs 7.5 lakh to the next of kin or legal heirs of prisoners who die unnatural deaths while in custody in Delhi prisons.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme has been introduced in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to ensure timely financial relief to affected families while strengthening accountability within the prison administration.
According to a notification issued by the Home (General) Department, the policy will be implemented as the Scheme for Payment of Compensation on Account of Death of Prisoners in Delhi Prison, 2025. It will apply to cases of unnatural deaths occurring in any Delhi prison on or after the date of the scheme’s notification.
Under the scheme, compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh will be paid in cases where a prisoner’s death results from clashes between inmates or alleged torture or assault by prison personnel.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been prescribed for deaths attributed to negligence by prison authorities or staff, negligence by medical or paramedical personnel, or suicide by a prisoner while in custody.
The notification also specifies categories that are excluded from the scheme. No compensation will be payable in cases of natural death or death due to illness. Similarly, deaths occurring during an escape from prison or lawful custody, as well as fatalities caused by disasters or natural calamities, will not qualify for compensation.
To ensure transparency and proper scrutiny, the scheme mandates that the concerned Jail Superintendent submit a magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, final cause of death, the prisoner’s medical history and details of medical treatment provided before death to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, in every eligible case.
The government said the new framework is aimed at ensuring a structured and transparent mechanism for handling compensation claims arising from custodial deaths covered under the scheme.
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