Custodial deaths rise across India, government data shows
170 deaths reported in first 74 days of 2026 as UN experts warn of systemic police violence affecting marginalized communities
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Custodial deaths across India have risen sharply in early 2026, with 170 deaths reported in just the first 74 days of the year, according to data presented by the government in Parliament, intensifying concerns about police violence and accountability.
The figures, shared by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs and compiled by the National Human Rights Commission, indicate a faster pace of custodial deaths compared with recent years. By contrast, 140 custodial deaths were recorded during the entire 2024–2025 financial year, while 157 deaths were reported in 2023–2024, 163 in 2022–2023, and 176 in 2021–2022.
The data suggests that custodial deaths in 2026 are already on track to exceed previous annual totals if the current pace continues.
State-level figures show significant regional variation. Bihar reported the highest number of custodial deaths with 19 cases, followed by Rajasthan with 18 and Uttar Pradesh with 15. Punjab, Gujarat, and Maharashtra recorded 14 cases each, while Odisha reported nine.
Among southern states, Tamil Nadu recorded seven cases, Telangana five, and Karnataka and Kerala three each. West Bengal reported seven cases, while in the northeastern region Assam recorded five deaths and Arunachal Pradesh three. Delhi reported four custodial deaths, while Jammu and Kashmir recorded none during the period.
Human rights groups say custodial violence in India disproportionately affects marginalized communities, including Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and economically vulnerable groups. Factors cited include targeted policing, limited access to legal aid, poverty-related vulnerability, and lower media attention in such cases.
According to the Global Torture Index 2025, law enforcement officials in India are reported to routinely use illegal methods such as beatings, threats and coercion to extract information before and during arrests.
The report also highlighted misuse of firearms and severe physical abuse affecting marginalized groups, including migrant workers, homeless individuals and LGBTQIA+ persons.
The index further documented allegations of unofficial detention sites — including abandoned buildings, government offices and hotel rooms — where detainees are reportedly subjected to intimidation and forced confessions.
Concerns have also been raised internationally. In February, United Nations human rights experts expressed alarm over custodial deaths, torture and alleged extrajudicial killings in India, urging authorities to conduct independent investigations and implement policing reforms.
The U.N. experts warned that the allegations suggested systemic law enforcement violence, rather than isolated incidents, and said such practices, if verified, could constitute serious violations of international human rights law, including the right to life and prohibition of torture.
They also expressed concern about policing practices that appeared to bypass due process, pointing to alleged “encounter” and “half-encounter” killings, as well as custodial torture, particularly in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
The experts emphasized that marginalized communities, including Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis, appeared to be disproportionately affected, raising broader concerns about discrimination, accountability and policing standards.
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