New Delhi: A Lawrence Bishnoi gang member serving a sentence under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) was found dead in Mandoli Jail, Delhi, on Saturday, with officials suspecting suicide. A probe has been launched to rule out foul play.
The deceased, identified as Salman Tyagi, was convicted in multiple cases, including murder, extortion and illegal arms possession. Once associated with the rival Neeraj Bawana gang, he was reportedly active in West Delhi and, even while in prison last year, was accused of orchestrating a firing in Rajouri Garden to extort Rs 50 lakh from businessmen.
According to officials, Tyagi was discovered hanging from a bedsheet in Jail Number 15 on Saturday morning. He was taken to the jail hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body has been sent for post-mortem to confirm the cause of death.
The incident caused a stir in the prison complex, and both jail authorities and police have begun inquiries into the circumstances. As mandated under Section 176 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), a magisterial enquiry by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) will also be conducted, given the unnatural nature of the death.
Officials said the body would be handed over to Tyagi’s family if claimed, in line with the Delhi Prisons Act. Unclaimed bodies are disposed of respectfully under the Delhi Prisons Transfer of Prisoner, Labor and Jail Act.