THE death of a daily-wage labourer in police custody is a blot on the image of Odisha, a state renowned for good governance. The victim, Sushant Sahu, was detained on the charge of being part of a group which attacked a police team during a raid on an illegal stone quarry in Ganjam district. He was allegedly tortured to death by cops; as per his family, they thrashed him and poured boiling water on his body. Last week, an inspector was suspended after a woman and her son claimed that they were tortured at a police station in Odisha’s Kendrapara district. Both incidents raise serious questions about custodial violence and the accountability of law enforcement officials.
Similar allegations have surfaced recently in Haryana, Assam and even within Central agencies such as the Narcotics Control Bureau. These cases reveal a troubling pattern: individuals in custody have accused officials of physical abuse and violation of human rights. The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. Custodial torture is a direct assault on these guarantees and undermines public faith in the justice delivery system. Police custody should facilitate lawful interrogation and investigation, not become a space where constitutional protections are suspended.
The Haryana Human Rights Commission’s emphasis on preserving CCTV footage of police stations and enforcing the Supreme Court’s directives is an important step forward. In a 2021 verdict, the Court ordered the installation of CCTV cameras with audio and video recording facilities in police stations, lock-ups, interrogation rooms and all custodial areas to ensure transparency, accountability and protection of human rights. However, technology alone cannot solve the problem. Respect for human dignity must be inculcated in law enforcement officials. When the protectors of the law become violators of rights, the very foundation of the rule of law is endangered. A democratic society must not tolerate custodial excesses at any cost.
