By IANS,
Melbourne : An Indian student, whose visa was cancelled, committed suicide in an Australian immigration detention centre here.
The 27-year-old Indian man, who had overstayed his visa, hung himself in his cell at the Maribyrnong immigration detention centre Thursday night, said sources.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the man was found unconscious at the centre in Melbourne, while Victoria Police said the death was not being considered as suspicious, The Sydney Morning Herald reported Friday.
The government said it “expresses its sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased man and will provide support to the police and other authorities as appropriate to assist with their investigations”.
Mental health issues was one of the most pressing concerns for people being kept in detention centres, said refugee exponents.
And it would likely get worse under the government as more asylum seekers are deported to offshore detention centres, they said.
Louise Newman, professor at Monash University, said the environment of the detention centres was fostering mental illnesses.
The longer asylum seekers were kept in detention, the more their mental health would deteriorate, Newman said.