From Trauma to Justice: Building a Psycho-Legal Shield Against Torture in India — The Impact of Project 993-DA-2
Police Torture in India: Documentation, Trends, and Psycho-Legal Response
Under Project 993-DA-2: Promoting a Psycho-Legal Framework to Reduce Torture and Other Violence (TOV) in India
Police torture continues to represent one of the most severe threats to human dignity, rule of law, and democratic accountability. Under Project 993-DA-2, Jan Mitra Nyas has systematically documented cases, supported survivors, and pursued institutional remedies through a psycho-legal framework that integrates legal intervention with trauma-informed care.
The evidence reveals that torture is not merely episodic misconduct but often reflects structural weaknesses—ranging from unchecked police authority to delayed investigations and inadequate oversight mechanisms.
Scale of Police Torture Cases
Under Project 993-DA-2: Promoting a Psycho-Legal Framework to Reduce Torture and Other Violence (TOV) in India, implemented by Jan Mitra Nyas with support from the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, the meta-legal dataset underscores the scale and seriousness of human rights violations addressed through the initiative. Meta-legal interventions addressed 160 documented cases, including 106 online complaints and 54 directly filed cases, reflecting a strong reporting and documentation system. The data reveals a troubling prevalence of abuse: 115 cases of police torture, 20 cases of religiously motivated police torture, 14 custodial deaths, 9 cases of custodial torture, and 2 encounter cases, indicating that such violations are systemic rather than isolated. Gender-disaggregated analysis further underscores the wide social impact, affecting 122 men, 34 women, 3 joint cases, and 1 child, demonstrating that vulnerable populations across demographics remain at risk.
These interventions actively engaged government departments, police authorities, and human rights institutions to trigger accountability, while 14 cases received direct court intervention and support, ensuring enforceable legal remedies through judicial processes. Advocacy efforts also secured ₹1.08 crore in compensation for 18 families, reinforcing rehabilitation not as charity but as a fundamental human right and affirming survivors’ entitlement to dignity and justice.
Meta-legal interventions engaged government departments, police authorities, and human rights institutions to trigger accountability, while court interventions ensured enforceable legal remedies by directly pursuing justice through judicial processes.
Link for details in Hindi at: https://www.scribd.com/document/995049683/Meta-Legal-Interventions
Complementing documentation, the project extended legal assistance in 15 court cases, strengthening access to justice as a core strategy for torture prevention. These cases involved serious violations such as illegal detention, custodial deaths, false criminal implication, suppression of evidence, and prison rights abuses. In one significant matter, a court imposed a ₹2 lakh penalty after a prisoner was unlawfully held for five additional days despite a valid release order (https://testimonialhealing.blogspot.com/2025/11/despite-release-order-prisoner-not.html). Another case involved the custodial death of Ram Chandra Maurya, where authorities were directed to submit FIRs, post-mortem findings, and a magisterial inquiry, underscoring the State’s duty of care toward detainees (https://testimonialhealing.blogspot.com/2025/09/human-rights-justice-and-unfinished.html). The project also supported a falsely implicated MBBS student through petitions seeking legal aid, compensation, and continuation of his education, highlighting the role of courts in safeguarding procedural fairness (https://testimonialhealing.blogspot.com/2025/07/building-bridges-of-hope-empowering.html). Collectively, these interventions demonstrate that combining systematic documentation with strategic litigation not only strengthens institutional accountability but also restores survivor confidence, affirms constitutional protections, and contributes to long-term systemic reform by transforming individual grievances into enforceable rights.
Key Police Torture Cases (Brief with Links)
1. Custodial Death of Kedar Singh — Alleged Third-Degree Torture
A complaint alleged that police brutality led to the death of Kedar Singh (55) in Agra, with reports describing extreme methods used during custody. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued directives seeking arrest records, medical reports, and magisterial inquiry findings.
2. Illegal Detention and Harassment — MBBS Student Pradyumn Yadav
A medical student was allegedly taken from his college without a warrant and placed under judicial custody. Police reportedly declared, “We will not let your son become an MBBS doctor,” suggesting intimidation and abuse of authority.
3. Police Harassment Linked to Suicide — Laxmi Devi
A 46-year-old woman reportedly died by suicide after sustained police pressure and alleged assault. The NHRC admitted the complaint and ordered an inquiry with an Action Taken Report.
4. Custodial Death — Ram Chandra Maurya
Authorities were directed to submit FIR details, post-mortem reports, and a magisterial inquiry after allegations that Maurya was beaten to death in custody.
5. Magisterial Inquiry — Devnarayan Yadav
The NHRC directed the District Magistrate of Gonda to submit a pending inquiry report regarding the alleged custodial death of Devnarayan Yadav (22) following claims of brutal police beating.
Judicial Example Demonstrating Ongoing Oversight
An order dated 12 January 2026 from the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad directed the filing of a counter affidavit and continued interim protection of Human Rights Defender Lenin Raghuvanshi until the next listing—indicating that judicial scrutiny remains a critical pathway for accountability in rights violations.
Cross-Case Analytical Findings
1. Torture as a Structural Risk
The repetition of custodial violence suggests systemic vulnerabilities such as:
Concentrated police power
Weak internal disciplinary mechanisms
Limited forensic transparency
Fear-driven silence among victims
Torture persists not because laws are absent, but because enforcement is inconsistent.
2. Expansion of Torture Beyond Physical Violence
The cases reveal three evolving forms:
Recognizing this spectrum is essential for modern human rights practice.
3. Marginalization as a Risk Multiplier
Victims often come from economically or socially vulnerable backgrounds. Structural inequality reduces their ability to seek legal remedy, enabling cycles of abuse.
4. Role of Civil Society in Interrupting Impunity
Nearly every major case progressed because of documentation, complaints, and advocacy—demonstrating that civil society functions as an informal accountability mechanism within democratic systems.
Strategic Contribution of Project 993-DA-2
The psycho-legal framework strengthens torture prevention through:
Survivor-centered legal aid
Trauma-informed psychological support
Documentation for institutional action
Engagement with human rights bodies
Promotion of compensation and recognition
The approach shifts the response from reactive relief toward preventive justice.
Key Recommendations
Institutional Reforms
Mandatory CCTV coverage in custody areas
Independent custodial audits
Automatic judicial review of detention
Legal Measures
Fast-track investigation of torture allegations
Stronger prosecution of implicated officials
Survivor Protection
Witness protection mechanisms
Long-term psychological rehabilitation
Policy Priority
Adopt a zero-tolerance framework toward custodial torture.
The evidence emerging from Project 993-DA-2 confirms that police torture remains a pressing human rights concern requiring structural reform, institutional accountability, and sustained vigilance.
Yet the project also demonstrates a powerful counter-narrative: when psycho-legal support, documentation, and advocacy converge, silence gives way to testimony, and impunity begins to face resistance.
Preventing torture is not only a legal obligation—it is the foundation of a humane and democratic state.
Case Study
Listening as Justice: Institutional Accountability and Community Healing in the Alleged Custodial Death of Vijay Soni
Introduction
Custodial violence represents one of the gravest challenges to democratic governance because it occurs within spaces where the State exercises maximum control over individual liberty. The alleged custodial death of 21-year-old Vijay Soni in Uttar Pradesh illustrates how institutional oversight and civil society engagement together form the backbone of accountability.
This case is not only about determining liability; it is equally about protecting dignity, restoring voice, and ensuring that power remains subject to scrutiny.
Case Background
According to the complaint placed before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):
On 10 September 2023, police personnel reportedly arrived at Vijay Soni’s residence and allegedly began beating him.
When his mother intervened, she was allegedly abused and threatened.
The family was later unable to locate him at the local police station.
On 12 September 2023, it was alleged that police took Vijay to a forested area in Kaushambi, tied his hands and mouth, placed a pistol in his possession, recorded a video, and fired shots—one of which struck his shoulder.
He was taken to Swaroop Rani Hospital, where he died during treatment.
The complaint sought urgent institutional intervention into what appeared to be a case involving serious allegations of custodial violence and a possible staged encounter.
NHRC Intervention: Institutional Persistence
The NHRC registered the complaint and continued proceedings under Case No. 26139/24/4/2023-AFE, directing senior police authorities to submit critical forensic and procedural documentation.
The Commission observed several investigative gaps, including:
Absence of ballistic expert report
Missing wireless log records
Lack of fingerprint and hand-wash procedures
Non-availability of vehicle logs and technical examination reports
Failure to conduct videography of the post-mortem
Missing identification and body handover documentation (later submitted)
By again directing the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, and the Superintendent of Police, Kaushambi, to furnish pending reports within a fixed timeline, the Commission reaffirmed that procedural compliance is essential to establishing truth.
Analytical Significance:
Procedural deficiencies in custodial death investigations often weaken prosecutions. The NHRC’s insistence on documentation signals that accountability depends as much on process as on outcome.
Emerging Protection Concerns
In January 2026, the complainant requested the Commission to:
Provide protection to the victim’s family from intimidation
Recommend interim relief and rehabilitation
Ensure strict compliance with earlier directives
Consider an independent and impartial investigation
Such requests reflect a common reality in custodial violence cases: families frequently face fear, pressure, and social vulnerability even while pursuing justice.
The Human Dimension: Testimonial Therapy and Restoring Voice
On 22 January 2026, the People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) facilitated a testimonial therapy session for the victim’s mother. This intervention created a structured, trauma-informed space where grief could be articulated safely.
Testimonial therapy serves multiple functions:
Validates survivor experiences
Reduces psychological isolation
Converts private pain into documented memory
Strengthens agency
Analytical Insight:
Justice is not purely legal; it is also psychological. Survivors who are heard are better positioned to engage with institutional processes.
Institutional Accountability and Civil Society: A Complementary Model
This case demonstrates a critical democratic dynamic:
| Institutional Role | Civil Society Role |
|---|---|
| Demands evidence | Preserves testimony |
| Enforces procedure | Restores dignity |
| Investigates facts | Supports survivors |
Rather than operating in opposition, both spheres reinforce each other.
Structural Issues Highlighted by the Case
1. Procedural Lapses
Missing forensic and technical reports raise concerns about investigative rigor.
2. Transparency Deficit
Incomplete records risk eroding public trust in law enforcement processes.
3. Power Asymmetry
Custodial environments inherently favor state authority, necessitating external oversight.
4. Psychological Impact on Families
Beyond legal battles, families endure prolonged emotional and economic distress.
Broader Democratic Implications
Allegations of custodial violence test three pillars of democracy:
Institutional credibility
Rule of law
Equality before the State
When statutory bodies persist in demanding answers, they reinforce the principle that no exercise of power is beyond review.
Conversely, delays in compliance highlight the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Key Analytical Observations
The Road Ahead
For meaningful progress, the following remain essential:
Completion of ballistic and technical reports
Transparent investigative findings
Protection measures for the family
Independent scrutiny where required
Timely institutional communication
Justice must not only be pursued—it must be seen to be pursued.
The alleged custodial death of Vijay Soni is both a tragedy and a democratic test. It reveals the quiet but powerful role of institutions that insist on answers and of civil society actors who ensure that affected families are not left alone.
The case reminds us of a foundational truth:
Justice does not begin with judgment—it begins when institutions listen, when communities stand beside the vulnerable, and when dignity is treated as non-negotiable.
In that shared commitment, the promise of constitutional democracy endures.
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