In contrast, rural generations present a scattered but significant picture. Ahmedabad Rural recorded two deaths in police custody, while Rajkot Rural and Surat Rural reported one death in police custody each, suggesting that the dangers of custody are not limited to urban settings.
Further down the list, districts like Junagadh (five total deaths), Kutch-Bhuj (three) and Surendranagar, Amreli, Bharuch, Sabarkantha and Navsari (two each) contribute to the cumulative toll, indicating that the issue is widespread and not isolated.
Even districts with lower numbers like Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Panchmahal, Banaskantha, Kheda, Morbi, Gir Somnath and Chhota Udepur, each reporting one death, together add to the growing concern about custody conditions across the state.
At the same time, a significant number of districts, including Gandhinagar, Dahod, Anand, Patan, Porbandar, Tapi, Aravalli, Botad, Mahisagar and Devbhumi Dwarka, among others, reported zero deaths in custody, providing a counter-standard while also raising questions about disparities in the management of detention standards.
Crucially, the report’s final report reiterates the gravity of the situation for 2024–2025:
Deaths in custody: 79
Deaths by police: 14
Total deaths in custody: 93
Taken together, the data do more than simply count casualties; it highlights systemic weaknesses.
The disproportionate share of deaths in prison signals potential lapses in inmate care, monitoring or infrastructure, while police custody deaths, though fewer, continue to raise red flags about procedural safeguards.
As the report goes to the Assembly, the numbers are no longer just statistics; they form a compelling indictment that calls for accountability, policy correction, and urgent institutional reform.
