Annual Report 2010-2011 he was ailing from mental illness and a decision was taken to transfer him to Mental Hospital in Varanasi on 4 January 1999. The reports received from concerned authorities, however, revealed that the jail authorities sought for sanction to transfer him to Varanasi Mental Hospital on 3 February 1999. However, as a matter of fact, the sanction to transfer Puran Singh was obtained only on 29 April 1999 and it was also learnt that there was no guard to take him to the Mental Hospital in Varanasi. Eventually, he was shifted to the Mental Hospital in Varanasi only on 27 October 1999, that is, after a gap of nine months. Subsequently, as Puran Singh’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted to Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital in Varanasi on 22 August 2000. During the course of treatment in Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital in Varanasi, Puran Singh passed away on 29 August, 2000. The post-mortem report nevertheless indicated that he died of “septicemic shock as a result of lung infection”, though there was no ante-mortem injury on his body. 4.11 The Commission vide its proceedings dated 7 June 2010 observed that there was a blatant violation of human rights as Puran Singh was not taken to the mental hospital even after it was found that he was a mentally ill. It took about 10 months to take him to the mental hospital. Such a lackadaisical attitude on the part of prison officials or staff should not exist in any jail. The Commission therefore directed the Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh to take remedial steps from the point of view of ensuring that in future delay of this kind does not occur in jails. 4.12 The Commission closed the case with the observation that the concerned authority in all the jails should grant such requests promptly and extend the services of guards, whenever a request is made for taking patients to other hospitals requiring immediate treatment. This would not only prevent delay but also ward off serious violation of human rights of the prisoners. 4. Death of Undertrial Prisoner Om Prakash in Rohini District Jail, New Delhi (Case No.4915/30/9/07-08-JCD) 4.13 The Superintendent of Rohini District Jail in New Delhi sent a message through wireless on 20 December 2007 intimating the death of an undertrial prisoner Om Prakash, s/o Teeja Mehto, aged 23 years on 20 December 2007 itself in Rohini District Jail. Om Prakash was lodged in the District Jail on 25 June 2007 in case FIR No.1030/07 for offences punishable under Sections 498 A/304 B/34 IPC, in Police Station Sultan Puri, Delhi. He was referred to Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, New Delhi in an emergency. However, Om Prakash expired on 20 December 2007 while undergoing medical treatment. 4.14 It was also learnt that the deceased died on account of a head injury due to which he slipped into coma. This fact was not explained by anyone and the Magistrate inquiring into the incident also indicated that the death of the deceased took place under unnatural circumstances. His inference was that the death had occurred due to the negligence of the jail staff. 4.15 Under the circumstances, the Commission served a notice to the Government of NCT of Delhi under Section 18 (a) (i) of the PHRA calling its Chief Secretary to show-cause as to NHRC 21