NHRC: Give details of custodial, encounter deaths

NEW DELHI: The NHRC has asked the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to intimate it about any custodial or encounter death within 24 hours and 48 hours respectively.

In a strong letter dated June 30 by NHRC Secretary General Jaideep Govind to the heads of both the UTS, the NHRC has stated that in the case of custodial deaths, the Commission should be intimated within 24 hours, and within 48 hours of the incident in case of an encounter death as the guidelines for all states and Union territories with a view to protect and promote human rights. The panel has asked the chief secretary of J&K and the commissioner secretary of Ladakh to pass suitable instructions to those concerned for compliance of all instructions issued by the commission, to send all requisite reports, including the post-mortem, videography and magisterial enquiry reports, in all custodial deaths and encounter deaths. “The erstwhile state of J&K was not under a statutory obligation to follow the mandate of the commission by sending intimations, in such cases of deaths in custody or encounter, in view of the protection given in respect of the subjects mentioned in List II of VII Schedule of the Constitution in the PHR Act,” the NHRC said.