NEW DELHI, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 591 people died in police custody in India between 2010 and 2015, said a new report from Human Rights Watch released on Monday.
According to rights body, police in India often bypass arrest procedures and torture suspects in custody to death.
The U.S.-based rights watchdog in its latest report "Bound by Brotherhood" said no policeman was convicted for a prisoner's death in custody during this period.
"Police in India will learn that beating suspects to confess is unacceptable only after officers are prosecuted for torture," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director. "Our research shows that too often, the police officers investigating deaths in custody are more concerned about shielding their colleagues than bringing those responsible to justice."
As per HRW, Indian police typically blame deaths in custody on suicide, illness, or natural causes, however, family members of victims frequently allege that the deaths were the result of torture or other ill-treatment.
"Instead of holding police responsible to account, authorities have stalled reforms needed to build a more rights-respecting force," the report said.
The rights body said it conducted more than 70 interviews with police officials, victim families, justice experts and witnesses and it looked into 17 custodial deaths that happened between 2009 and 2015.
As per law, every person taken into custody must be medically examined and produced before a magistrate within 24 hours.
The report said the Indian police often fail to follow arrest rules and according to government data, in 67 of 97 deaths in custody in 2015, the police either failed to produce the suspect before a magistrate within 24 hours or the suspect died within 24 hours of being arrested.
