Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform In India, a recent publication documenting the urgent need for reform in Indian policing, galvanized amid the backdrop of custodial death tragedies. The book, titled “Policing and Violence in India: Colonial Legacies and Contemporary Realities,” edited by Deana Heath and Jinee Lokaneeta, explores the historical context and current challenges of law enforcement in the country.
This urgent conversation is fueled by the custodial deaths of Jayaraj and his son Bennicks in Tamil Nadu in June 2020. Authorities arrested the duo for reportedly contravening Covid-19 guidelines. Their deaths in police custody led to national unrest and sparked calls for reforming the system. Only a few months earlier, in February 2020, Faizan had died while in custody. He had recently spent days in police custody for his role in protests against the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Faizan’s killing was later termed a “gross violation of human rights” by the High Court. It designated the hateful attack as a hate crime.
The new book goes deep into these incidents with political and sociological lenses. Perhaps more importantly it illustrates the pernicious effects that colonial legacies are still having on policing practices in India today. What’s clear is that these failures in the policing system are not one-off occurrences. Together they reveal a troubling systemic pattern that requires urgent corrective action.
Policing and Violence in India runs 368 pages and is available for ₹799. This book serves as an academic guide. It further urges lawmakers, public safety stakeholders, and the general public to address systemic realities of police violence and accountability.
Weaving together historical and contemporary voices, the editors—Heath and Lokaneeta—present a detailed exploration of how past atrocities shape future realities. They argue that understanding these historical contexts is key to creating and sustaining a policing system in India that is equitable and just.