Maharashtra records highest number of custodial deaths, raising renewed concerns

Maharashtra has once again come under scrutiny over the rising number of deaths in police custody, following a recent court decision that has reignited concerns about accountability within law enforcement agencies.

A division bench of the Bombay High Court upheld a lower court’s order to retain murder charges against eight police personnel in connection with the 2014 custodial death of a young man from Wadala. The victim reportedly died after being subjected to torture while in the custody of the railway police.

This is not an isolated incident. In 2024, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai sentenced two police officers to seven years’ imprisonment in connection with a 2009 custodial death case in Ghatkopar. Earlier, in 2017, a 26-year-old man from Sangli died in custody, after which his body was allegedly burnt; five police personnel were arrested in that case.

More recently, in 2025, a law student from a Dalit community died in police custody in Parbhani district. Following a strong response from the Supreme Court, an FIR was registered against unidentified officers under provisions relating to murder in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

One of the most high-profile cases dates back to 2003, when a software engineer arrested in connection with a blast case died in custody. Several police officers, including a prominent encounter specialist, were accused of murder and destruction of evidence. However, the victim’s family is still awaiting justice more than two decades later.

Data from the National Human Rights Commission indicates that Maharashtra consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of custodial deaths. Between 1994 and 2022, the state recorded an average of 21 such cases annually. Another report noted that between 1999 and 2017, out of 404 custodial deaths, only 53 cases led to FIRs, and chargesheets were filed in just 38 instances.

The trend remains alarming in recent years. Over the past five years, Maharashtra has reported 101 custodial deaths. Nationwide figures for the period between 2021–22 and 2025–26 stand at 806 cases. Maharashtra tops the list, followed by Gujarat with 85 cases and Bihar with 76. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan reported 56 and 51 cases respectively.

These figures have raised serious questions about police conduct, interrogation practices, and the protection of human rights. Legal experts and rights groups argue that systemic reforms and stricter accountability mechanisms are urgently needed to address the issue.