Haryana Police’s recent measure to “deglorify criminals and deglamourise crime” by parading the accused has ignited a debate with human rights bodies terming the public shaming a violation of constitutional safeguards provided to those yet to be held guilty.
Six such cases of the deprecating display of crime accused and convicts have come to light since August 2025.
While proponents of the public shaming of accused argue that such measures serve as an effective deterrent and reinforce public confidence in law-enforcement agencies, human rights activists maintain that justifying it shows a flawed mindset.
Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) chairperson justice (retd) Lalit Batra says public shaming of an accused is a complex issue. “Parading an accused or convict is a violation of rights and dignity. Article 21 of the Constitution protects the right to life and personal liberty of an individual. It is a basic fundamental right. Till the time an individual is proved guilty, he is an accused. He has the right to a fair trial and should be protected from wrongful arrest, detention and custodial violence,” he said.
The HHRC chairperson said that parading an accused in public can also prove to be disadvantageous to safety as the person becomes susceptible to being harmed. “While the liberty of an accused in custody is curtailed, one still has rights. Parading an accused in public is a violation of human rights and should be avoided. The police can publicise the arrest of a gangster or a hardened criminal in the media to build public confidence, but parading them is not advisable at all,” justice Batra said.
Social media trigger
On November 20, the police paraded life convict Daljit Sihag handcuffed in the main markets of Hansi town. Sihag, who is lodged in Jhajjar jail was taken to Hansi on a production warrant after a fresh case was registered against him on November 2 under Sections 196(2) (promoting enmity between classes in place of worship), 353(2) (with making or publishing false statements, rumours, or alarming news with the intent to create hatred or ill will between different groups) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, using social media platforms.
Hansi superintendent of police Amit Yashvardhan justified the move, saying Sihag faces at least 55 criminal cases and is serving a life sentence for the murder of a Hansi resident. “Sihag, a hardened criminal, was glorifying his actions on social media. He was trying to win people’s sympathy. Many youths get influenced by such posts. He confessed to have hired a person to upload his posts, so we paraded him in the market. It was to send a message to the public that he is just another criminal, trying to display a larger than life image on social media,” the SP said.
A photo of Sihag dressed in immaculate whites with hands folded was posted on Facebook by a Jind-based man, Rohtash, a police official said, adding that Haryana director general of police OP Singh was miffed over the post and an FIR was registered against Rohtash.
Hands tied, head tonsured
On November 13, the Sonepat police paraded a former sarpanch of Pipli village, Ram Niwas, in the Kharkhauda market. Niwas, who was arrested for allegedly murdering Ajay Kumar, a villager, was paraded in public with his hands tied and head tonsured.
Kharkhauda station house officer Pawan Kumar said Ram Niwas was a historysheeter. “He was made to apologise publicly before being paraded in the market. This was meant to send a strong message that society need not fear criminals. We have done this earlier, too,” the SHO said.
On October 28, the Rewari police paraded four accused arrested for allegedly demanding a ransom of ₹1 crore from a transporter, Harish, at gunpoint on October 26. Rewari DSP (crime) Surender Sheoran said that they took the accused on foot to the crime spot for identification.
“They were paraded to assure people that the government and police are committed to ensuring safety. No one should fear criminals. If anyone tries to disrupt law and order and instil fear among people, the police will deal strictly as per the law,” the DSP said.
DGP mum, NHRC guidelines speak for itself
When contacted, Haryana Police chief OP Singh declined to comment on the issue.
According to the November 22, 1999, guidelines issued by the then director general of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), DR Karthikeyan, the dignity of the person being arrested should be protected. “Public display or parading of the person arrested should not be permitted at any cost,” says the NHRC guideline communicated to DGPs and home secretaries across the country.
Navkiran Singh, an advocate and general secretary of Lawyers for Human Rights International, says Article 21 of the Constitution mandates freedom of life and liberty to every individual. “An individual from the stage of being a suspect, undertrial or even convicted enjoys such a right. Parading the accused before the public is a human right violation. Such archaic methods to deal with violators of law is not permissible or required in a country where there is a rule of law. Using such methods in dealing with suspects are an affront to the judicial process,” he said.