A Nigerian man who was awaiting trial for a drug-related offense in an Indian jail has died.
Thirty eight-year-old Izuchukwu died on Monday in Hullu sub-jail in Himachal Pradesh.
Police in a statement Tuesday said Izuchukwu was arrested for drug trafficking but he suffered an acute artery stroke awaiting hearing.
Times of India reported Gurdev Sharma – superintendent of police in Kullu – as saying Izuchukwu died in a hospital in Shimia where he was rushed to for treatment.
Izuchukwu was living in Dwarka, New Delhi. He was arrested at Bajaura checkpoint on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway on July 14 for possession of 1.88 grams of drugs. He was arraigned and was to appear again before court on July 29, the paper said.
“The Nigerian national was lodged in the sub-jail after he had been remanded by a Kullu court to 14-day judicial custody till July 29. Izuchukwu fell unconscious on Monday morning and was admitted to Kullu regional hospital,” Sharma said.
The police are following all the required protocols and have informed the Nigerian embassy in India, Sharma added.
Police investigations revealed Izuchukwu had been arrested by Kullu police from Delhi in a similar case of supplying heroin a few years back. This time, he was coming to Kullu with the contraband in a bus but was caught.
