As reported by A Subramani & Mahalingam Ponnusamy in timesofindia.indiatimes.com on 13 Sep 2011:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...on-authorities

Nearly 70 die in Tamil Nadu jails every year

CHENNAI: Over 200 undertrials have died in the last ten years in four jails in Tamil Nadu with Trichy Central Prison accounting for half of these deaths. Experts say that poor hygiene and inadequate access to medical facilities and hospitals are the main reasons for these fatalities.

Documents provided by Tamil Nadu prison department in response to a Right To Information (RTI) query show that between January 2001 and June 2011 a total of 219 persons died in four central prisons at Trichy, Puzhal, Cuddalore and Palayamkottai. Some 105 died in Trichy Central Prison. Another nine died at the Special Prison for Women at Trichy. Response to another RTI query shows that ever year 70 to 80 inmates die in nine central prisons in the state.

The RTI documents show that the deaths are mostly due to illness and suicide. Murder accounts for only a negligible portion of the deaths, say prison authorities.