NHRC Seeks Action Taken Report On Pregnant Minor’s Death In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action taken report from the district Collector and Superintendent of Police of Odisha’s Kandhamal on the death of a pregnant girl student of a government-run residential school, reports said.

The incident took place in Rangaparu village in Belghar area of Tumudibandha block in the district.

According to reports, the NHRC has issued notice to Kandhamal district Collector and SP asking them to submit action taken report in connection with the incident.

The class VII student in the state-run residential school for girls was found pregnant during a health check-up in the hostel on September 24 this year.

As per instructions from the district authorities, an FIR was registered by the school’s headmaster with the Belghar Police Station.

The student, aged around 13 years, was sent to a children’s correctional home at G Udayagiri following an order of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Kandhamal district.

However, the girl later complained of labour pain and was taken to a local community health centre, where she delivered a stillborn baby and within a few hours, died under mysterious circumstances, sources said.

The incident had sparked massive outrage in the state. Apart from opposition BJP and Congress, members of the civil society staged demonstrations against the incident  demanding stringent action against those responsible for the incident.