Published Jun 20, 2026 | 11:51 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 20, 2026 | 11:51 AM
Gade Sai Krishna (Credit: @revathitweets on X)
Synopsis: Custodial crimes continue to plague southern India, with Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada case of Gade Sai Krishna exposing systemic failures. Tamil Nadu leads with alarming figures, while Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala also report recurring incidents. Rights groups highlight torture, missing evidence and weak accountability, urging urgent reforms, independent probes and anti‑torture legislation to curb police excesses.
The disappearance of 32-year-old Gade Sai Krishna from police custody in Vijayawada has reignited concerns over custodial crimes across southern India.
The Andhra Pradesh government has suspended Krishnalanka Circle Inspector Nagaraju and booked him for murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, stressing on the gravity of the case.
While Andhra Pradesh grapples with the fallout of this incident, Tamil Nadu continues to record the highest custodial death figures in the region.
Between 2016 and 2022, Tamil Nadu reported 490 such crimes, with the Sivaganga case of Ajith Kumar—described by the Madras High Court as “more brutal than a murder”—standing out as a chilling example of custodial torture.
Allegations of missing CCTV footage and manipulated post-mortem reports have further eroded public trust.
Karnataka and Telangana reported three custodial deaths each in 2025, while Kerala recorded one.
Though fewer in number, these cases highlight systemic issues ranging from unofficial detentions to poor medical care in lockups.
Rights groups warn that Dalits and minorities remain disproportionately vulnerable to police excesses.
India’s lack of a standalone anti-torture law, despite being a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, continues to be a major gap.
Investigations into custodial deaths are often opaque, with convictions rare despite hundreds of inquiries.
The recent Sai Krishna case in Andhra Pradesh is emblematic of these failures—police excesses, weak oversight, and delayed justice.
