In the past two years, Rajasthan has witnessed a sudden rise in custodial deaths, and the state government has confirmed that 20 people died in police custody between August 2023 and August 2025.
Reason given for the deaths
This data was shared in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly after Congress MLA Rafiq Khan raised a question. Reasons given for these deaths are: 6 deaths were attributed to suicide, 12 were linked to health-related causes, and 6 due to heart attacks.
This data has raised serious concerns and questions the policing practices and treatment given to detainees. Human rights groups have pointed out that the reasons given aren’t appropriate; there is an issue of negligence, lack of accountability, and possible abuse.
Violation of Article 21 and Article 22
Such instances have clearly shown that there has been a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, and Article 22, which provides safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention.
Inquiry demand by human rights groups
Civil society organizations and human rights groups have demanded judicial inquiry under Section 176(1A) BNSS. In DK Basu vs. State of West Bengal in 1997, the Supreme Court laid out strict guidelines to ensure detainees’ rights, including regular medical checks and rightful access to legal counsel.
Violation of Supreme Court directives
Directives issued by the Supreme Court between 2015 and 2020 clearly state that CCTV cameras must be installed in all police stations and interrogation centers, and footage has to be preserved for transparency. However, in many cases of these custodial deaths, no footage is available, which is a clear violation, shared Bhanwar Meghwanshi, President, The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
The rights group also commented that there has been a lapse that could amount to both negligence and deliberate violation of court orders.
“Whether labeled as suicide or due to health complications — reflects systemic failures in ensuring timely medical care and safeguarding detainees’ rights. Lack of CCTV footage and judicial inquiry points to serious lapses in supervision and accountability,” said one of the PUCL members.
The rising number of custodial deaths in the state has reignited debate on police reforms, accountability mechanisms, and the urgent need to strengthen safeguards that protect individuals in state custody.