A number of civil and human rights activists staged a massive demonstration outside the residence of Rajasthan Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal on May 20, against the increasing impunity of State police in context of custodial death and hanging of an old man from a tree in two different police stations of the state. Activists, led by People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) charged the State police for becoming unaccountable and “sinking back in feudal times” with the growing number of cases of torture in police stations coming to light.
The protest was followed by the death of a young man in the police lock-up in Sikar district on June 9. He was arrested on charges of theft. A 75-year old had also died because he was hung from a tree in Dholpur district for interrogation on June 10.
“When enough evidence is available against the police officers, there is no justification for the delay in launching criminal proceedings against them,” said PUCL General Secretary Kavita Srivastava.