Cuttack: The body of a Nigerian prisoner, Augustine Odikpo lying in SCB Medical College & Hospital here is likely to be handed over to his kin and shifted today.
“He was a Nigerian prisoner. On the advice of the Puri Jail Superintendent, he was undergoing treatment in the Medicine department here. While undergoing treatment he expired on 26th May,” informed Abinash Rout, Administrative Officer, SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack.
Rout said that an autopsy of the Nigerian prisoner’s body was conducted after consultation with Puri Jail Superintendent.
“As he was a foreign national certain statutory formalities are required to be completed and accordingly we had informed Puri Jail Superintendent apart from speaking with IG Prisons coordinating with local IIC. The process took a little time and currently, after embalming the body is now kept in the Anatomy department,” the Administrative Officer said.
Rout informed that the deceased prisoner’s brother and jail staff have arrived and hopefully the body will be shifted today.
“Puri Jail Superintendent is responsible for the procedure for shifting of the body. Maybe it got delayed due to the processes involved,” the Administrative Officer clarified.
According to reports, Augustine Odikpo was arrested by Puri police from Patna on February 11, 2019, in connection with a case pertaining to cybercrime. Since then Augustine was lodged in Puri Jail as an under trial prisoner.
After developing skin disease Augustine was admitted to the district headquarters hospital at Puri on May 9.
He was shifted to SCB Medical College & Hospital after undergoing treatment at Puri district headquarters hospital for 15 days.
