Bengaluru: The State Government has informed the Karnataka High Court that 48 prisoners have died unnaturally in Karnataka since 2012 and compensation was paid only in one case.

The State Government submitted this information in response to the court’s query on a public interest litigation ( PIL) petition, which was initiated suo motu by the High Court, based on the apex court’s direction on the issue of unnatural deaths of undertrials or convicts in various prisons.

Of the 48 cases of unnatural death, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission ordered the Home Department to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the wife of the prisoner in one case. Twenty-one cases are pending and 26 have been disposed of by the commission.

A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice P.S. Dinesh Kumar adjourned further hearing to February 8 as the amicus curiae appointed by the court was not available to assist the court.