Custodial deaths: 25 police stations in Maha to get CCTVs

Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court that it would install CCTVs cameras in 25 police stations across the state by March-end on a pilot basis in view of the increasing number of custodial deaths

Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court that it would install CCTVs cameras in 25 police stations across the state by March-end on a pilot basis in view of the increasing number of custodial deaths.

Additional public prosecutor Mankhuvar Deshmukh informed a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Revati Mohite Dere that bids have been allotted and work orders will be issued within a week and by the end of March cameras will be fitted in all the rooms of 25 police stations. This will be implemented in other police stations as well.

The high court was hearing a bunch of petitions, including a public interest litigation, on the increasing number of custodial death cases in the state. In 2014, the state recorded 17 cases of custodial deaths, while last year 14 such cases were registered.

Deshmukh further told the court that the government has asked the state CID to submit monthly reports on custodial deaths to the judicial registrar of the high court. The reports will have columns mentioning name, address of the police station, FIR lodge date and other relevant information.

The court today asked the government to set up a committee of three members headed by the Commissioner of Police to study and find a solution to custodial deaths. The petitions will be heard on April 11.

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