DHANGADHI: A 28-year-old man arrested on banking offense charges has died under suspicious circumstances while in custody at Kailali District Prison.
Harish Pali, a resident of Bhageshwar Rural Municipality–5 in Dadeldhura, was found unconscious in the prison premises at around 10:30 pm on Monday and later died during treatment at Seti Provincial Hospital.
According to Jailor Padam Timilsina, Pali was rushed to the hospital in an unresponsive state, where doctors observed that he had high fever and severely low blood pressure. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his condition.
However, the cause of death remains unclear. Visible injuries on Pali’s mouth, legs, and other parts of his body have led his family to suspect foul play. Alleging that he was beaten to death, the family has refused to receive his body and is demanding an impartial investigation.
Pali had been convicted in 2080 BS by the District Court for a banking offense, receiving a sentence of 10 days imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 200,000. He had been absconding since the verdict, but was arrested by Kailali Police on Asar 1 (June 15) and sent to prison the same day.
The family claims they were informed of his death only on Tuesday morning. They also accuse the prison administration of refusing to share CCTV footage from the facility, initially citing technical issues after promising transparency.
As of now, Pali’s body remains at Seti Provincial Hospital while his family continues to demand a thorough investigation and punishment for those involved. They have vowed not to claim the body until justice is ensured. Authorities say an investigation is underway.
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