Jaipur, April 2 -- Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully has expressed serious concern over the rising number of deaths in police custody in Rajasthan, terming it a failure of the state government. In a letter addressed to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, Jully drew attention to what he described as an alarming issue related to law and order. He wrote that reports of deaths of people in police custody across the state recently raise serious questions about the democratic system and the justice delivery mechanism. Citing data from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Jully said that by March 15 in the FY 2025-26, a total of 170 deaths in custody had been reported across the country, with Rajasthan ranking second. He pointed out that the number of deaths in police custody in the state has increased from 9 last year to 18 in the current year. He said that when a person is in police custody, the responsibility for their safety rests entirely with the state. Jully termed custodial violence a grave violation of human rights, stating that the rule of law must be upheld through fair investigation, not intimidation. He alleged that in most such cases, instead of strict punitive action, erring police personnel are merely suspended and cases are eventually sidelined. He noted that despite Supreme Court orders, many stations lack properly operational surveillance systems. "No one can be allowed to take the law into their own hands under the cover of uniform," he said. Jully has demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into all recent custodial deaths. He also called for the registration of murder cases against guilty officials and swift action. htc...