According tosources, Mr. Jagdish Goliaallegedly died in a mysterious condition on 6 October, 2019 while he was in the custody of police of Pachpadra Police Station inBalotra city ofBarmer district of Rajasthan.According to the police, RTI activist and human rights defender Mr. Jagdish Goliaand two others named as Gopal Singh and Mahendra Singh were arrested on 5 October, 2019 under section 151 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) over a land dispute within theirfamily. According to the police they were presented before theExecutive Magistrate at the Tehsil Office for bail on 6 October, 2019. Police claimed that the Magistrate had granted bail to Gopal Singh and Mahendra Singh and Mr. Jagdish Goliacomplained he was not feeling well. Following the Magistrate’s directions, he was taken to the Nahata Hospital where he was declared brought dead. Sources informed that Mr. Jagdish Goliahad a lot of sensitive documents related to the police and the police had detained him in the past. In regard to the circumstances of his death, the local RTI activists and human rights organisations challenge the police version of the events and suspectfoul play. They alleged that RTI activist died in police custody in Barmer’s Balotra city.They informed that RTI activist and human rights defender Mr. Jagdish Golia had a complaint pending in Pachpadra Police Station, in connection with that he first metMr. Subhash Chandra Khoja, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Balotrawhere he was unheard.Hethenwent straight to Pachpadra police station where he was booked under Section 151 CrPC at police station and was arrested. He was beaten and tortured at nightin the police station. According to them the circumstances surrounding Mr. Jagdish Golia’s death strongly suggest that he died due to the brutal torture committed by police officers at the Pachpadra Police Station in Balotra city of Barmer district of Rajasthan.Media reports carried the statement of Barmer SP Sharad Choudhary who said that Golia’s mother Varju Devi had filed a complaint, alleging station house officer (SHO) of the Pachpadra police station, Mr. Saroj Choudhary had not ensured the timely treatment to Golia’s internal and external injuries, which she said led to her son’s death. Devi said in her complaint that she and her son were working on their farm in Sarana village on 5 October, 2019 when some people, belonging to their family, came and beat up Golia. It is alleged that the state police is trying to cover-up his torture anddeathby insisting that he dieddue tointernal and external injuries suffered by him at his farmas it has beendone in most other previous occasions when persons taken into custody had died while in custody. This case is yet again an example of reprisal against human rights defenders despite there being several national and international mechanisms in place towards protection of human rights defenders. Recent one being the December, 2018 pledge by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) wherein it was recognised that human rights defenders have a positive, important and legitimate role in contributing to the realisation of all human rights and was endeavoured by the Commission to create enabling environment for safeguard of human rights defenders.