A Chinese man, identified as Li Jiaqi from Shandong province, died on Tuesday after attempting suicide at Amar Shaheed Khudiram Bose Central Prison in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Jiaqi had been arrested on June 6 near Laxmi Chowk in the Brahmaputra police station area for illegally entering India without valid travel documents, including a visa. Authorities found a map of China, a mobile phone, and currencies from China, Nepal, and India in his possession.
Following his arrest, Jiaqi was charged under The Foreigners Act, of 1946, and was subsequently detained in the central prison. On June 7, prison staff found Jiaqi injured and unconscious in the toilet of the prison's hospital, having attempted to harm himself using broken eyeglasses. He was immediately transferred to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur for treatment but succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
The incident raises concerns about the mental health and safety of detainees in custody, especially those who may be isolated or under significant stress due to their legal and personal circumstances. Authorities are likely to investigate the circumstances leading to Jiaqi's death to ensure protocols are in place to prevent such incidents in the future.
