Cuttack, Jan 2: A 32-year-old prisoner, Mohammad Kalim, was found dead in what is suspected to be a suicide inside the Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack district on Sunday. Kalim, a resident of the Hati Pokhari area under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), was found in a critical condition inside his cell and was quickly transported to SCB Medical College and Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

As of the latest reports, the exact charges under which Kalim was incarcerated remain unclear, and further details are still being investigated.

This tragic incident comes at a time when the Choudwar Circle Jail has already been under the spotlight due to a series of controversies. Just last month, the escape of two prisoners sparked a significant internal conflict within the jail administration. On October 3, 2025, during the Dussehra celebrations, two Bihar-based criminals, Raja Sahani and Madhukant Kumar, managed to escape from the facility. The escape led to a major dispute between two senior jail officials, both of whom filed complaints against each other.

Since the incident, the jail has faced mounting pressure, with both escaped prisoners still at large, adding to the growing concerns over the jail's security and management.