NHRC Investigates Custodial Torture Allegation in Uttar Pradesh

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has opened an investigation into a case involving the alleged custodial torture of a man in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, which reportedly led to his suicide. The incident has prompted scrutiny of police conduct at the local level.

According to reports, the man had been called to the local police station following a complaint lodged by his wife. He arrived at the station with his father in an attempt to settle the matter amicably. However, some media reports allege that he was physically assaulted in custody and pressured for a bribe. The following day, he was found dead in his room, having taken his own life by hanging.. A message was reportedly found written on the pants he was wearing, referencing the distress he experienced.

Acting on its authority under the suo motu provision, the NHRC, an autonomous statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, issued a notice to the Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh. The Commission has demanded a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, citing the incident as a possible serious violation of the victim’s human rights.

In response to the incident, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed, naming the victim’s father-in-law, brother-in-law, and another individual, along with two police constables from the Hathiyapur outpost, Yashwant Yadav and Mahesh Upadhyay. Both constables have been suspended and reassigned to police lines pending investigation, according to a statement by the Superintendent of Police.

The NHRC, tasked with protecting rights related to life, liberty, and human dignity, often intervenes in such cases without needing a formal complaint, using its powers to act on media reports or public knowledge incident has drawn public attention to issues of custodial accountability and oversight to ensure that local authorities uphold the law and protect, rather than endanger, citizens under their custody.

The case has reignited conversations around custodial practices and the importance of accountability within law enforcement.