Death of Prisoners in Custody

As per intimation received about death in Police Custody, the total cases registered this year upto 15/11/14 is 82 as against 140 in the previous full year. Maximum such cases have been recorded from Maharashtra amongst all States/UTs since 2013-14, with 18 cases registered this year while in J&K, no such death under Police Custody has been recorded since 2012-13. 

 

As per intimation received about death in Judicial Custody, the total cases registered this year upto 15/11/14 is 974 as against 1,577 in the previous full year. Maximum such cases have been recorded from Uttar Pradesh amongst all States/UTs for all the past three years since 2011-12 besides the current year, with 188 cases reported this year while in J&K,only one such death under Judicial Custody has been recorded this year. 

 

During the above period, including carried forward cases from previous years, in 476 cases of death in judicial custody, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recommended monetary relief amounting to Rs. 8,85,20,000 besides disciplinary action in 32 cases. Further, in 221 cases of death in police custody including carried forward cases, the Commission recommended monetary relief of Rs. 5,84,40,000, besides disciplinary action in 10 cases and prosecution in 1 case. Pursuant to the guidelines issued by the Commission, every death in custody, Police or judicial, natural or otherwise, is to be reported to the commission, within 24 hours of its occurrence. In all such cases, the commission calls for various reports, including the inquest, post-mortem, video-graphy of post-mortem, magisterial inquiry report for ascertaining foul play or negligence, if any, which resulted in the death. 

 

This was stated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to Shri C.S. Putta Raju in Lok Sabha today.