Undertrial kills self in quarantine centre of Taloja jail

A 43-year-old undertrial arrested in the 191-kg drugs bust case by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was found dead in the toilet of a quarantine facility of Taloja Jail in Kharghar on Wednesday night. The accused, who was shifted to the facility merely few hours ago before the incident, is suspected to have died by suicide. Another accused in the same case attempted to kill himself, but has survived.

DRI busted the international drug racket and seized 191 kg heroin worth ₹1,000 crore from Nhava Sheva port on August 9, in what is being touted as the largest seizure in recent years in Maharashtra. DRI arrested three people from Delhi in connection with the case and brought them to Mumbai on August 10. The three accused were produced before a court on Wednesday and were remanded in judicial custody from Thursday. The accused — Mohammed Nouman Suleiman, Suresh Bhatia and Mahendra Nigam — were shifted to Namdar Gopal Krishna Gokhale Vidyanagar School around 3.30pm for a mandatory quarantine period.

On Wednesday night, Suleiman went to use the toilet around 11pm and allegedly hanged himself using a towel, said police. He was found by the on-duty police officer who went to check as he did not return for a while.

“The opaque glass of the door showed some movement but he was not responding to knocks. They broke the glass pane and found him there. A doctor was called for check-up, but Suleiman succumbed,” said Nilesh Jagtap, sub-inspector, Kharghar police station.

Police sources also said that, during inquiry, they found Suleiman had attempted suicide while in DRI custody.

“We found fresh unhealed cut on his wrist. He had sliced his wrist during DRI custody and was saved that time,” said an officer. It is unclear on what date Suleiman first attempted suicide.

Meanwhile, the jail staff found that another accused in the case had consumed several pills to kill self. He was taken to the infirmary where he is recuperating, police sources said without revealing the identity of the accused.

Pradeep Tidar, senior inspector, said an accidental death report has been filed following the incident. No suicide notes were found either on Suleiman or on the second accused.

Sources in Taloja jail said the third accused has been depressed, but officials have not questioned him yet. He has been kept on suicide watch. Meanwhile, police have recorded statements of the on-duty constables at the facility.

Both Bhatia and Suleiman have past criminal antecedents. Bhatia was convicted in a 1,200-kg hashish smuggling case in 2008.

Suleiman was a close aide of Bhatia, who co-owns Delhi-based Sarvim Exports Ltd, which had allegedly ordered the seized narcotics to be smuggled in India from Afghanistan, as per DRI. Suleiman looked after the import operation and transportation routes.