India’s police must get out of Dirty Harry’s shadow, Pg 10.

Key Highlights:

• Ajith Kumar, a 27-year-old temple guard, died in police custody in June 2025 despite prior reform recommendations.
• 687 custodial deaths recorded in India between 2018–23; highest in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, UP, WB, and TN.
• Torture disproportionately targets vulnerable sections — Dalits, tribals, migrants, and urban poor.
• India is ranked a “high-risk” country in the 2025 Global Torture Index.
• Supreme Court rulings (D.K. Basu, 1996; Puttaswamy, 2017) have reinforced safeguards, yet torture remains widespread.
• India has not ratified the UN Convention Against Torture; no standalone anti-torture law exists.

Detailed Insights:

• Torture reflects structural injustice, rooted in caste and class hierarchies, poor police training, and performance pressure.
• Institutional impunity prevails: low conviction rates, minimal oversight, and societal tolerance normalize violence.
• Scientific studies debunk torture’s utility: Shane O’Mara’s neuroscience research shows torture impairs memory and cognition.
• False confessions under torture undermine justice, as seen in CIA “black sites” and historical cases like Birmingham Six.
• Successful global models include the U.K.’s PEACE model (Preparation, Engage, Account, Closure, Evaluation) that builds rapport and improves outcomes.
• Evidence-based policing is more effective: the lead to Osama bin Laden came through surveillance, not coercion.
• Countries like Norway, Canada, New Zealand use non-coercive methods with high success and public trust.

Concepts Involved:

• PEACE Model: A structured non-coercive interrogation technique focusing on open-ended questioning and rapport-building.
• Prefrontal Cortex & Hippocampus: Brain regions crucial for memory, impaired under torture.
• UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT): International treaty aimed at preventing torture and inhumane treatment.