In three years, 255 died in police custody, only three cops convicted: NCRB data

NEW DELHI:  As many as 255 people died in police custody in three years from 2017-2019, but only three police personnel were convicted in these cases in these years, according to an analysis of the NCRB data. 

According to the recently released 2019 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, 49 cases of human rights violation were lodged against various police departments across the country, for crimes like encounter killings, custodial deaths, illegal detention, torture by police, extortion and other similar crimes. A total of 85 people died in police custody in 2019 for which 23 arrests were made.

However, chargesheets were filed against just eight police personnel and none of the cases resulted in a conviction.  

In 2018, 70 people died in police custody.

A total of 89 cases were filed and 40 arrests were made and chargesheets were filed against 26 policemen.

However, not one police personnel in matters of custodial deaths that year. In 2017, when 100 people were reported dead in police custody. 

A total of 57 police personnel were arrested and chargesheets were filed in 29 cases against 48 policemen, one of which was acquitted and three were convicted.

In 2019 highest number of custodial deaths (11) were reported from Tamil Nadu, while in 2018, most cases, 14, were reported from Gujarat, and in the previous year, Andhra Pradesh reported most, 27, cases.