Chandigarh, May 16 -- Describing the suicide by 15 prisoners in Haryana in 2024 as "alarming and disturbing", the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) directed the state government to submit reports listing the steps taken for prevention of custodial suicides.

Taking suo-motu cognisance of findings reflected in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) "Prison Statistics India-2024" report, the HHRC said that the increasing incidents of suicides, unnatural deaths, prison violence, mental health crisis, overcrowding and inadequate psychological support systems in Haryana prisons is "a grave human rights concern".

In its May 13 order, the HHRC bench headed by justice Lalit Batra (retired) sought reports from additional chief secretary (A...