NHRC Seeks Report On Death Of Pregnant Girl Student In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gajapati district in Odisha over the death of a pregnant Dailt girl student last month.

The Commission passed the order and sought ATR within four weeks while hearing a petition filed by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, sources said.

As per the petition, a minor Dalit girl, who was studying in Class 8 of government-run Jhirjira Ashram, a residential school, died on April 6, this year while undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital.

While the girl was found to be four months pregnant, the school authorities had not informed the parents about her pregnancy earlier, it said.

Noting that the death of pregnant student in present case poses serious questions of violation of human rights, the petition sought intervention of the NHRC inter-alia for legal action against the wrong doers, compensation to the bereaved family and proper counseling, mental care, regular medical checkup and focus on studies by the students in the state-run residential schools for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe children.

The Commission also forwarded copy of the petition to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) for information and further action.