India, Nov. 26 -- The Orissa high court has ordered Rs.20 lakh compensation for the widow of an undertrial prisoner, who died in custody, underlining that such deaths due to medical negligence represent a serious violation of constitutional rights and warrant appropriate compensation.

A bench of Justice Biraja Prasanna Satapathy on Tuesday said the jail authorities failed to provide adequate medical treatment to him despite knowing he had chronic diabetes. It added that by the time the prisoner was shifted to a better medical facility, his health condition had deteriorated.

The court said the petitioner Sabita Nishank's claim for compensation on grounds of negligence by jail authorities was well proven. It added that the right to health...