PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, Dated: 24th June, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 12 year old boy lost his life even as the doctor and his family continued to dispute whether he was a victim of a snake bite or rat bite. The boy, Rohit Kumar, was brought by his family for treatment at the Community Health Centre, Goraiyakothi, District Siwan, Bihar late in the night on the 17th June, 2015.

The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim child. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Bihar and Superintendent of Police, Siwan, Bihar calling for a report within two weeks.

According to the media report, the family of the victim boy insisted that the doctor provide treatment for the snake bite to him but the doctor was of the view that he was bitten by a rat. When the family persisted for treatment for snake bite, the doctor stopped the treatment and asked the boy's family to bring the snake first. While the family members rushed to trace the snake, a lot of time was wasted and the condition of the child became critical. Eventually, the boy was rushed in the middle of the night to Sadar Hospital where he expired. After the protest by the family members, a case was registered against the doctor by the police.

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