348 people died in police custody in last three years: Govt

Ground Report | New Delhi: 348 people died in police custody; The government on Tuesday said 348 people died in police custody in different parts of the country during the last three years and also found that 1,189 people suffered torture in custody during the same period. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai gave this information in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

He said that according to the information received from the National Human Rights Commission, 136 people died in police custody in 2018, 112 in 2019, and 100 in 2020.

While speaking in the Lok Sabha, the minister also informed that between 2017 and 2019, 230 people were killed in different parts of the country due to political reasons.

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Giving a written answer to a question, he said that between 2017-19, 1,189 people were tortured during their detention. In this, 542 people were tortured in police custody in the year 2018, while 411 people were tortured in 2019 and 236 in 2020. In the Lok Sabha, the minister told that between 2017 and 2019, 230 people died in different parts of the country due to political reasons.

Rai said that among those killed due to political reasons, 49 cases are included in Jharkhand, 27 in West Bengal, and 26 in Bihar. While 99 people were killed in the country due to political reasons in 2017, 59 people were killed in 2018, and 72 in 2019.

He said that between 2017 and 2019, a total of 24 cases of political murders were registered in Karnataka and 15 each in Kerala and Maharashtra. According to the Times of India, Karti Chidambaram, MP from Sivaganga, had also questioned the police violence against civilians during the implementation of the Covid-19 lockdown.

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Rai also said that police and public law and order are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. It is the responsibility of the states to maintain law and order. Including investigation, registration, and prosecution of offence, punishment of the accused, protection of life and property.

Asking for details of action taken against police officers for custodial deaths and torture, the Home Ministry reiterated that 'police' and public order are state subjects, so state governments have the right to deal with such offenses which are in accordance with the law. come to their notice as per the existing provisions.

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