According to data furnished by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), no increase in custodial deaths in Kerala has been noticed in 2018-19, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The minister replied in writing to a query of Congress MP Kumbakudi Sudhakaran on "whether the government has taken note that custodial deaths in Kerala have increased by 100 per cent in 2018-19, as per the records of NHRC".
Asked whether the government has taken note of the recent incidents of police brutality and human rights violations in Kerala, Rai said, "Police and Public Order are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India."
"It is primarily the responsibility of the state government concerned to ensure protection of human rights of the citizens. However, the central government issues advisories to all states and Union Territories, from time to time," the minister added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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