STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: As per the data provided by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), 11 cases of custodial deaths in police custody were recorded in Assam during 2022-23.
The information was provided in a statement from the NHRC showing the year-wise and state-wise number of cases registered as custodial deaths in police custody in the last five financial years.
According to the statement, the number of cases registered on custodial deaths in police custody in Assam during 2018-19 was 5, in 2019-20 it was 2, during 2020-21 the number was reduced to 1, before shooting up during 2021-22 to 9 and marking another increase in 2022-23 to 11.
The number of deaths in police custody in Assam was the highest in the North-East region. The numbers in other NE states were considerably lower. The number of cases of custodial death registered in Arunachal Pradesh, for instance, was 2 in 2018-19, 0 in 2019-20, 1 during 2020-21, and 0 in 2012-22, with a marked increase of 3 in 2022-23. Similarly, the number of deaths in police custody in Manipur during 2018-19 was 3, during 2019-20 it was 2, in 2020-21 it was 0, during 2021-22 it was recorded as 1, and in 2022-23 it was 2.
Another state with a low number of deaths in police custody was the NE state of Meghalaya, where the number of deaths during 2018-19 was recorded as 0, in 2019-20 it was 1, during 2020-21 it was 2, in 2021-22 there was an increase of 4, before going down to 0 in 2022-23.
Mizoram also displayed a low number of custodial deaths, with the number during 2018-19 being 1, in 2019-20 it was 1, in 2020-21 it was 0, in 2021-22 it was 1, and in 2022-23 it was recorded as 0.
In Nagaland, the number was even lower, with 0 cases registered in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. In 2021-22, there were 2 deaths. The number again dropped in 2022-23 to 0.
Among the NE states, Tripura also had low custodial deaths, the number in 2018-19 being 0, in 2019-20 it was 1, in 2020-21 it was 0, in 2021-22 it was 1, and in 2022-23 again 1.
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