Custodial deaths in India: 170 deaths in just over 2 months
India has seen a sharp jump in custodial deaths this year: 170 cases were reported just between January 1 and March 15, according to the home ministry.
That's already more than all of last year, which saw 140 such deaths, raising real concerns about what's happening inside police custody.
Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh lead the grim tally
Bihar reported the most cases with 19 deaths, while Rajasthan had 18 and Uttar Pradesh counted 15.
Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab weren't far behind with 14 each.
The numbers have been going up and down over recent years (like Bihar dropping to 10 before spiking again) and Uttar Pradesh shows an overall upward trend but not a steady increase: eight - 10 - 12 - 11 - 15 (2021-22 through March 15, 2026).
It's a worrying pattern that's drawing attention across several states.