Bhubaneswar, Dec 21 (IANS): An undertrial prisoner accused in a rape case died on Friday inside Keonjhar district jail in Odisha after a rape convict lodged in the same jail was awarded death penalty on Thursday.

The deceased, Turi Munda, was lodged in Keonjhar jail in connection with the rape of a minor girl.

Jail authorities suspect that Munda may have died of cardiac arrest due to mental stress after a rape convict in the same jail was sentenced to death.

However, the exact reason behind the death of the 55-year-old undertrial prisoner will be known in the post-mortem report.

"The accused seemed fine and healthy. He might have died after being panicked over the death penalty awarded to another inmate, who was also lodged here in a POCSO case. However, the exact reason behind his death will be known after the post-mortem," said Jail Superintendent Garib Sahoo.

Notably, the Additional District Judge (ADJ) court awarded death penalty to Sunil Nayak for rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Champua police limits on January 13, 2017.