Story in numbers: 5 people die in judicial custody every day, shows data

At least 17,146 people were reported to have died in judicial/police custody - nearly five per day, on average - in cases registered in the decade up to March 2020

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is considered the most authoritative repository of crime statistics in the country. However, in its latest report (2021), many wonder about the figures relating to deaths in police custody.

The NCRB adds a clear disclaimer to all its reports: that its data is based on information furnished by state governments. But figures (also furnished by state governments) relating to custodial deaths from other sources, like the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), for instance, reveal a glaring mismatch.

The NHRC data on this issue is available for 2010-2020. According to this, at least 17,146 people