SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Nearly 600 people died while in the custody of Indian police between 2010 and 2015, according to a new report from the U.S.-based organization Human Rights Watch.
The report said no policeman was convicted for a single prisoner’s death during this same time period, adding that authorities frequently attribute those deaths to illness, attempted escape, suicide and accidents.
But several rights watch groups says the deaths are happening because of torture taking place in the jails — claims that officials have rejected vehemently. The 114-page report was released Monday, which examines “police disregard for arrest regulations, custodial deaths from torture and impunity for those responsible.”
The report cites the information of 17 “in-depth investigations” of deaths that occurred of those in custody, all of which took place between 2009 and 2015. More than 70 interviews were conducted as part of the study with victims’ family members, as well as witnesses, justice experts and police officials. In each of the 17 cases, the report said police did not follow proper arrest procedures.
“Police in India will learn that beating suspects to confess is unacceptable only after officers are prosecuted for torture,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“Our research shows that too often, the police officers investigating deaths in custody are more concerned about shielding their colleagues than bringing those responsible to justice.”
Per Indian law, every person arrested in the country must be medically examined and brought before a judge within 24 hours.
According to the Human Rights Watch study, India’s own government data revealed that 67 of the 97 deaths in 2015 were of people who not brought in front of a judge within 24 hours, or died within 24 hours of their arrest.
