India, April 16 -- The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a policy for payment of ex gratia to the next of kin of prisoners who die of unnatural circumstances while being lodged in jails in the state. The move follows directions from the State Human Rights Commission, which had asked the government to frame a policy to avoid repeated instances of the kin of deceased prisoners moving court.

According to the policy, families of inmates who die by suicide will get Rs.1 lakh, while kin of inmates who die due to accidents, atrocities by jail staff, and skirmishes with other inmates will get Rs.5 lakh. Natural deaths of prisoners - including death due to old age, prolonged illness or while on bail - have been excluded from the ambit of th...