Haryana Police's public parades of accused spark rights debate
Since August 2025, Haryana Police have started publicly parading people accused or convicted of crimes, as a deterrent and to reinforce public confidence in law-enforcement agencies.
But this move is drawing serious criticism for violating basic rights—especially since India's Human Rights Commission has banned such displays since 1999.
Police say it helps build trust with the public, but many are questioning if the ends justify the means.
What actually happened—and why people are upset
Six recent cases include parading a life convict for glorifying crime online and a former village head accused of murder, who was marched with his head shaved and hands tied.
Another case involved four men accused of demanding a ₹1 crore ransom who were marched through crowds by police.
Critics—including retired Justice Lalit Batra—say these public shaming tactics break constitutional protections like dignity and personal liberty.
As advocate Navkiran Singh puts it, this goes against the rule of law and puts accused people at risk before they're even proven guilty.