Almost 500 custodial deaths in seven years, govt tells J’khand HC

IN a major revelation before the Jharkhand High Court, the state government disclosed that nearly 500 custodial deaths have been reported in the state over the past seven years.

- MUKESH RANJAN @ Ranchi

According to an affidavit filed by the Principal Secretary of the Department of Home, Prisons and Disaster Management, 437 deaths occurred in judicial custody while nearly 45 deaths took place in police custody since 2018. The figure was revealed during the hearing of the PIL filed by Mumtaz Ansari seeking judicial inquiry into all the deaths that took place in judicial or police custody. After hearing arguments from both sides on Thursday, the court has reserved its order.