She was probably one of the oldest convicts in Uttar Pradesh in 2002 when she was convicted in a dowry case at the age of 97.
On Sunday, Ram Kali became the oldest prisoner to die in jail in the state at the age of 107. She was lodged in Bulandshahr jail when the end came.
Ram Kali complained of breathlessness on Sunday night and was rushed to the Meerut Medical College by prison officials. She died later in the night due to complications rising due to old age.
Ram Kali who originally belonged to Khanpur village in the Mansoori area in Ghaziabad district, had shifted to a relative’s house in Bulandshahr after she lost her husband in 2002.
Her relative was later accused of killing his wife for dowry and Ram Kali ended up as a co-accused in the case. She briefly went to prison and was later released on bail.
The court, however, convicted her in December 2012, and Ram Kali had to return to jail.
The jail superintendent had recently sent a recommendation to the state government that Ram Kali should be pardoned and freed, on account on her age. Her petition was under consideration but she passed away before that.
Meanwhile, jail officials said that they had informed Ram Kali’s relatives of her death but added that if no one came forward to claim her body , the jail officials would perform her last rites.
Meanwhile, Minister for jails Rajendra Choudhury said on Monday that there were hundreds of aged prisoners languishing in prisons across the state and added that the state government would soon initiate a process to allow those who were either too old or ailing to go home once they have served a major part of their sentence.