CUSTODIAL VIOLENCE IN INDIA: AN CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS

Custodial violence remains one of the most persistent and alarming violations of human rights
within the Indian criminal justice system. Custodial violence includes various kinds of torture
that a person in prison, police custody as well as judicial custody undergoes due to various
reasons. Violence is an apparatus is used to impose the one will on another and to feels the
power and superiority over other. For that reason, the government has set up a way for the poor
and vulnerable victims to get prompt relief through the National Human Rights Commission.
The government has also complied with a number of protective standards set forth by
international agreements, constitutional provisions, and statutory laws, but the number of cases
of violence against inmates is rising daily. The study concludes that the absence of a dedicated
anti-torture law, weak oversight mechanisms, and institutional impunity significantly
undermine the effectiveness of existing safeguards. It emphasizes the urgent need for
comprehensive legal reforms, independent investigative mechanisms, and stronger
accountability frameworks to ensure the protection of human dignity and the rule of law.
Keywords: custodial violence, Human rights, torture, constitutional rights, Legal Framework,
Judicial Safeguards, police atrocities & cruelty.