Concerned over the `intriguingly high' incidence of suicide and custodial deaths in the state's many jails and sub-jails, the 1997-98 WBHRC report has urged the state government to take a closer look at the `control mechanisms' which it says have `deteriorated beyond belief'.

The number of such deaths in 97-98 was reported to be 46 and the year before the figure stood at 47.

"The numbers are far too large and the frequency of such incidents and their aggregate annual toll is quite disturbing," the report rued.

Rapping the jail administration for tending such cases `somewhat mechanically', the report said, ``there responsibility does not end by sending a routine report and going through the prescribed drill of inquest and post-mortem examination.''

There was no serious effort, it observed, to delvedeep into such incidences and to find out the underlying factors leading to such gruesome tragedy.

The report said all cases of suicide or unnatural death taking place in custody -- be it judicial custody or police custody -- should be inquired into by a magistrate or an independent person.

Calling for safeguards to obviate the recurrence of such tragedies in future, the Commission said this mode of inquiry should be made mandatory.

The commission said "one is driven to commit suicide by a whole string of oppressive factors which close in on the psyche during weak moments, foreclosing other options and escape routes".

In a number of cases the Commission found deaths in judicial custody attributable to medical negligence or delay in securing access to medical facilities.

"The bulk of expenditure on medicine was accounted for by the jail officials and instances were many where sick prisoners, in desperate need of medical support, were left abandoned and uncared," the report said addingmaladministration and rampant corruption also contributed to the tragedy.

The Commission urged the state government to effect basic structural changes to make the jail administration more humane and sensitive to the problems of the prisoners.

"The jail officials hardly have any exposure to the world outside the narrow confines of jails and their handling of the prison population is often very crude and casual," the report regretted.