State Human Rights Commission inspects Mysuru Central Prison after the death of three inmates
Mysuru: Chairman of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) Dr. T. Sham Bhatt along with Member S.K. Vantigodi, visited Mysuru Central Prison yesterday to inspect the facility following the recent tragic deaths of three inmates.
The officials were welcomed by Chief Jail Superintendent Ramesh, who provided an overview of the prison’s basic facilities, security arrangements, training programmes and other activities.
Addressing the recent incident in which three prisoners died after consuming chemical essence used in the bakery unit for cake preparation, Dr. Sham Bhatt reviewed the details of the case. He instructed Ramesh to take immediate measures, including installing CCTV cameras and assigning an Inspector to oversee bakery operations.
He said that CCTV cameras must be installed in the production units of all State Prisons. Dr. Sham Bhatt noted that the additional responsibility of managing the bakery unit was being handled by the jailer, which he deemed insufficient. He instructed the installation of three cameras per unit and recommended appointing dedicated staff to manage production activities.
Guidelines for storage, distribution
He directed the officials to make necessary improvements to prison facilities. For instance, he emphasised that if inmates face difficulties in sleeping, sleeping pills should be distributed through the Prison Warden, ensuring proper channel, rather than being handed out directly.
Stressing the need to strictly follow established guidelines for storage, use and disposal of chemical essences, he called for comprehensive training and awareness programmes to ensure such incidents do not recur.

Visit to K.R. Hospital
Later visiting the K.R. Hospital and seeking more information about the deaths and the cause and examining the toxicology report, Dr. Sham Bhatt noted that the final confirmation is awaited from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report.
The Commission Members reviewed the treatment provided to the prisoners and gathered relevant information. They confirmed that the deceased inmates were part of the prison’s cake manufacturing unit.
The essence packet in question was labelled “Rum Excellent,” leading to speculation that the prisoners consumed it thinking it would cause intoxication. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this theory.
Dr. K.R. Dakshayani, Dean and Director of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute and Dr. H.N. Dinesh, Acting Superintendent of K.R. Hospital, emphasised that the prisoners, who had experience in cake preparation, were aware of the correct quantity of essence to use. However, their decision to consume it remains unexplained.
Essence consumption: A lethal risk
Dr. Dinesh highlighted the dangers associated with consuming cake essence. He explained that 5 grams of essence contains 22 grams of propylene glycol, a chemical commonly found in vanilla essence.
Global medical research indicates that consuming just 5 ml of essence can be fatal. This finding is corroborated by studies from the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) and Centre for Molecular Dynamics (CMD) in Bengaluru.
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