Custodial Death in Channagiri – A Fact Finding Report
Released on August 30, 2024
In light of the death of a person in police custody on May 24, 2024, a team comprising of members from All India Lawyers Association for Justice, Association for the Protection of Civil Rights, Bahutva Karnataka and People’s Union for Civil Liberties – Karnataka constituted a fact-finding team to investigate the custodial death and the subsequent events. This took place in Channagiri, Davangere.
The report shows that there were crucial procedural lapses in the person’s detention, and the FIR lodged against him. These lapses undermined the victim’s constitutional protections, and his death in police custody has left his family vulnerable. The mass arrests following his custodial death reflect procedural violations and also left many poor families economically vulnerable.