The Assam government on Saturday reported that a total of 80 deaths related to police action have occurred since May 10, 2021 – 39 in police custody and 41 before the accused were formally taken into custody, as well as 223 cases of people being shot or injured in custody or before remand.
In a written reply to a question from MLA Akhil Gogoi, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also in charge of the Home Department, told the Assembly that 183 accused were shot or injured in custody, and 40 more were shot before being taken into police remand.
He said that an FIR was registered in each such incident, and all cases of deaths in custody were investigated by an executive magistrate, as required under the CrPC, BNSS, and NHRC guidelines. In total, 180 cases of deaths and injuries were investigated at the magisterial level, including 78 custodial deaths. While investigations are not required in cases of shootings or injuries, magisterial inquiries were conducted in 102 such incidents.
