According to sources, the UTP, identified as Deepak Barik of Budhabari village under Tarasingi police station in the district, was found hanging from the ceiling of the kitchen in the prison in the morning. The jail officials rushed him to Bhanjanagar Hospital. But the doctors in the hospital declared him brought dead.

Later, police handed over Deepak’s body to his family after the completion of post-mortem. His family members accompanied by the villagers staged a protest before Tarasingi police station and blocked the National Highway demanding investigation into suspicious death of Deepak inside the jail.

Police along with district officials tried to pacify the agitating villagers. But they continued the agitation demanding a written assurance from the authorities.

Deepak was arrested a few days back for alleged murder of his wife Rashmita Barik on November 25. Since then, he was lodged in Bhanjanagar Jail.

It may be noted that a UTP died by suicide in a sub-jail in Odisha’s Jajpur district on December 6.