20 i CIVIL LIBERTIES 3.30 These instructions were communicated in a letter addressed to the Home Secretaries of all States/Union Territories, all Director Generals of Prison and all Director Generals of Police by Shri N. Gopalaswami, Secretary General of the Commission, on 5 January 2001. 3.31 The Commission has noted with interest and satisfaction that there has been a decline in the total number of custodial deaths reported in 2000-2001, the number having gone down to 1037 from 1093 in 1999-2000. The total number of deaths in police custody have shown a significant decrease, from 177 in 1999-2000 to 127 in 2000-2001. The deaths in judicial custody too have declined from 916 in 1999-2000 to 910 in 2000-2001. 3.32 The States in which deaths in police custody have shown notable decline were Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. However, there has been an increase in such deaths in Delhi, Assam and Punjab. The state-wise position indicating the number of custodial deaths is given at Annexure 7. C] Encounter Deaths 3.33 The guidelines framed by the Commission in respect of the procedures to be followed by the authorities in dealing with deaths that occurred in encounters involving the police were circulated to all Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories on 29 March 1997. The Commission called for acceptance of these guidelines and their faithful implementation. 3.34 In response, the Commission received letters from all State Governments/Union Territories conveying their acceptance of the guidelines. 3.35 In the course of the year 2000-2001, however, the Commission received 109 complaints alleging that deaths had occurred as a result of 'fake' encounters. A statement showing the state-wise position in respect of such complaints is given in Annexure 8. In each of these cases, the Commission is seeking to ensure that enquiries are made and action taken in accordance with its standing instructions relating to encounter deaths. NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION