Custodial Violence Is the Dark Heart of India’s Democracy


 Custodial Violence Is the Dark Heart of India’s Democracy — New Op-Ed by Lenin Raghuvanshi

At the PVCHR office, Prashant Tiwari delivers an in-depth presentation on his research, “Custodial Violence in Light of Dalit Rights and UNCAT Guidelines,” before senior human rights practitioners. Standing beside a projected slide, he explains the systemic nature of torture and caste discrimination, while participants engage with laptops, notes, and documents. The room, lined with posters on the prohibition of torture, reflects PVCHR’s long-standing commitment to uplifting survivors and challenging impunity.

From village testimony circles to national human rights forums, one truth remains consistent: the police station—which should symbolize safety—too often symbolizes fear for Dalits, Adivasis, the poor, and marginalized communities.

Prashant’s research is not merely academic; it is an indictment of structural injustice. It reveals who suffers, how they suffer, and why the system continues to fail the most vulnerable. Torture is not an aberration—it is institutional, caste-driven, and economically devastating. The poor lose income, dignity, and often the will to seek justice. Families are pushed into debt, trauma goes untreated, and the cycle continues.

India’s failure to ratify UNCAT, the lack of an anti-torture law, and conviction rates below 1% expose a democracy unwilling to protect its weakest. The law on paper is meaningless when police impunity thrives in practice.

Reform is urgent: ratify UNCAT, enact an anti-torture law, implement Prakash Singh reforms, ensure transparent custody, guarantee rehabilitation, and embed human rights into policing culture. Democracy must begin inside the lock-up—not end at its door.

Full Op-Ed:

#CustodialViolence, #HumanRights, #PVCHR, #DalitRights, #StopTorture, #UNCAT, #LeninRaghuvanshi, #PrashantTiwari, #SocialJustice, #PoliceReforms, #EndImpunity, #ViksitBharat2047, #RuleOfLaw, #CriminalJusticeReform

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