Rajasthan minister refutes Congress’s claim of custodial deaths due to police torture in state

Rajasthan Minister of State (MoS) for Home Jawahar Singh Bedam has strongly refuted Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra’s claim of nine custodial deaths due to third-degree torture by police.

He said, “Thirteen custodial deaths were reported during 2025-2026; however, no one died due to police torture.

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Issuing a prompt rejoinder on Dotasra’s claim on Saturday evening, Minister Bedam said, “Thirteen cases of deaths in police custody were reported during 2025-26; however, none of them died due to third-degree torture or any other act of the police”.

Of the 13 deaths, three died of cardiac arrest with pre-existing disease, three by suicide, one died accidentally while fleeing, and six others died due to sudden illness, he said.

“Dotasra’s statement in this connection is false”, the MoS Home said, adding, “The judicial (magisterial) probe being held in these cases so far has not found custodial torture or perpetration by the police.”

The state police is committed to abiding by the norms and criteria prescribed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with due transparency and accountability, Bedam said.

In the above-mentioned cases as well, all norms and criteria set by the NHRC were adhered to, he added.

In a statement on Saturday, Congress state chief Dotasra said, “Under BJP’s jungle raj, Rajasthan has emerged as the second state in the country after Bihar in terms of custodial deaths in 2025-26.”

This reflects instances of deaths due to third-degree torture in police stations under the patronage of the state government, he alleged.