Date:23/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/23/stories/2005092309760400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

State has no hangman to carry out death sentence; person to be trained

B.S. Ramesh

Shraddananda among 14 prisoners in Karnataka jails sentenced to death

Shraddananda

BANGALORE: If the death sentence awarded to Shraddananda, which was confirmed on Monday by the Karnataka High Court, is to be executed, the jail authorities will have to train one of the staff members or any other person to act as a hangman.

Jail Manual procedures

The State has no post of hangman and the Jail Manual has laid down elaborate procedures for housing convicts sentenced to death. The hangman, according to the manual, will be paid Rs. 5 for the execution.

The District Surgeon, who is expected to be present when the sentence is executed, will be asked to certify the death of the convict.

The manual says a cotton rope, one inch in diameter, will be used for the execution, and at least three such ropes will be kept in the jail. The ropes must be tested a day before the execution and the gallows carefully inspected.

Every detail in connection with the execution will have to receive the personal attention of the Jail Superintendent and the Medical Officer. Executions should take place soon after daybreak, according to the manual.

Shraddananda is now among the 14 prisoners condemned to death in the State. If he is hanged, he will be the 46th prisoner to be executed in the State since Independence.

Lodged in Hindalga jail in Belgaum since May 21, Shraddananda is entitled to the treatment prescribed by the Jail Manual. Every convict sentenced to death is searched on arrival in prison and placed in solitary confinement under the charge of a guard.

If a woman is sentenced to death and is found to be pregnant, the High Court can postpone the execution of the sentence or commute the sentence to life imprisonment.

Precautions

The manual says that when a convict is sentenced to death, the chief jailor should take away every article available with the convict and provide him the clothing of a convict. To ensure that the convict does not commit suicide, he is given cotton or woollen blankets and plates and mugs made of thin aluminium.

Before placing such a convict in solitary confinement, the jailor has to inspect the cell and ensure that the wooden door in the cell, apart from the iron door, is kept open at all times. The convict is watched by three warders day and night, to ensure that he does not attempt suicide.

Diet

The diet is the same that is prescribed for prisoners serving simple imprisonment. Convicts sentenced to death are allowed to exercise in the open every day under the watch of a medical officer. The manual says that family members may visit them once a week, and such meetings will be in presence of a jailor. The convicts are allowed to write letters and read books. They should be given cigarettes, snuff or tea on request, according to the manual.