Watch: What Stan Swamy’s Custodial Death Tells Us About the State of Indian Democracy

Father Stan Swamy, a longtime tribal rights activist, died on Monday at a private hospital in Mumbai – the same day when his medical bail plea was scheduled to be heard in the Bombay high court.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Swamy in October 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on charges of having links with Maoist rebels. He was taken to Taloja Central Jail. Suffering from various health ailments including Parkinson's disease, the 84-year-old Swamy had to request multiple times to the prison authorities, and even move court, for giving him a straw and a sipper. He was denied bail repeatedly even after citing age, ailments and the pandemic.

However, during the last eight months, he was never called by the NIA for interrogation, and no charge was established. Then why was the octogenarian kept in jail despite moving court over and over again for medical bail pleas?

Swamy's custodial death has given a severe jolt to India's collective conscience.

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