Home department to install CCTV cameras in 25 police stations

Mumbai: Following Bombay high court directions, the state home department on Friday announced that it will set up nearly 410 CCTV cameras in around 25 police stations in the city. The HC directions came on the back of rising incidence of custodial deaths and to ensure that FIRs were registered when accused died in custody.

In a government resolution (GR) released on January 6 this year, the home department said, “In around 25 police stations, 410 CCTV cameras will be installed in areas like corridors and lock-ups with 24/7 coverage. The state government has allotted around Rs 2.75 crore for installation of the cameras.”

The HC in 2014 gave directions while hearing petitions filed by families of persons who died in custody, including the April 2014 deaths of Agnello Valdaris in Wadala railway police station and Akash Kharade in Samata Nagar police lock-up. The court said that CCTV data would be preserved for a year and senior inspector of the respective police station would be responsible for ensuring that cameras were operational.

In October 2016, the HC had asked the state government to file an affidavit on the number of cases in which judicial magistrates had not taken cognisance of custodial death reports.