A convict, who was serving life imprisonment at the Visakhapatnam Central Jail, reportedly committed suicide late on Saturday night on the jail premises.
The convict, identified as Surlampudi Vinod Kumar (28), a native of Amudalavalasa in Srikakulam district, cut a strip from the woollen blanket provided to all inmates by the jail authorities, and used it to hang himself from the window panes of the bathroom. .
According to jail Deputy Superintendent V.S. Rao, the convict resorted to the act at about 11.30 p.m. and his body was found by other inmates, early in the morning.
Vinod Kumar was arrested by the Kancharapalem police in Visakhapatnam in 2007 for kidnapping his niece and holding her for ransom, under IPC Section 364 A.
After a four-year trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Fourth Additional District Judge in Visakhapatnam in 2011.
Jumps parole
In December 2014, he was granted parole for 30 days. But he jumped it and had gone absconding for over four months.
He was re-arrested by the Amudalavalasa police in April 2015, and sent back to the jail. A new case was also registered for jumping parole.
Ever since his return, according to his family members, he was a bit depressed. He was under the impression that his life sentence would be enhanced for jumping parole.
But the jail authorities said that he was sound both mentally and physically.
“We are unable to fathom what drove him to take the extreme step,” said Dr. V.S. Rao.
The body was sent for post-mortem to King George Hospital and handed over to his family members.