Nagpur: As Nagpur battles a sharp surge in suicides and violent offences, a similar disturbing pattern is unfolding behind the high walls of Nagpur Central Jail. Between 2019 and 2024, the prison reported five inmate-on-inmate assaults, six suicide attempts (one resulting in death), one case of attempted murder, and seizures of contraband including a mobile phone and ganja, as per data from Dhantoli police station.

Frequent altercations involving inmates from rival gangs continue to fuel body offences inside the jail. In 2021, a rare case of attempted murder was also registered within the prison premises, underscoring the volatile environment.

Mental health issues are becoming a pressing concern inside the correctional facility. According to jail authorities—who spoke on condition of anonymity—the psychological toll of isolation, separation from family, and inability to adjust to prison life are major reasons driving inmates to self-harm or suicide.

In a notable 2021 case, Roshan Kayyum Sheikh (31), a resident of P&T Colony, Katol Road and a convict under MCOCA, attempted suicide using the elastic band of his underwear to hang himself from an iron bar. A vigilant jail guard managed to intervene just in time and saved his life.

The year 2023 witnessed the highest number of suicide attempts inside the jail in recent times—four in total—including one fatality. In February, an inmate tried to end his life by setting fire to his bedding. He was isolated in a separate cell due to tuberculosis, and although he suffered burn injuries, jail guards were able to extinguish the fire in time. In June, 40-year-old murder convict Shamrao Shende died by suicide inside the jail’s painting store room. Shende, convicted for killing his wife in Gadchiroli in 2020, used his pyjama string to hang himself from a window grill.

These incidents are part of a wider mental health emergency in Nagpur. Police records reveal that from January 2019 to December 2024, the city reported a staggering 4,206 suicides. Of these, 2,414 victims (81%) were men, with family issues identified as the leading cause. Mental health experts warn that the growing number of cases points to untreated depression, societal pressure, and lack of access to psychological care.

At the state level, Maharashtra recorded 129 unnatural deaths of prisoners between 2010 and 2022, with 70 (54%) of these classified as suicides, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.

Recognizing the gravity of the issue, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued detailed guidelines to prevent suicides in prisons. These include:

• Psychological assessments of new inmates by trained medical officers.
• Mental health training for correctional staff.
• Regular interaction of prisoners with family and the outside world through meetings, newspapers, TV, and recreational activities.
• Periodic audits of jail premises to identify and eliminate hanging or anchoring points.
• Creation of suicide-resistant cells inside prisons.

Experts stress that both correctional facilities and civil society must prioritize mental health support. With suicide rates rising both inside prisons and across the city, the need for early intervention, counseling, and public awareness has never been more urgent.