NHRC asks for comments from Chief Secretary and DGP West Bengal on the Death of a newborn as Police grilled the mother in Howrah
New Delhi, December 9, 2006
The National Human Rights Commission has asked for comments from Chief Secretary and DGP, West Bengal on the reported death of a newborn, as cops grilled the mother in Howrah Police station. Taking suo-motu cognizance of a newspaper report, which highlighted the incident, the Commission said if the contents of the report are true, they raise a serious issue of violation of Human Rights of women and children.
The report which appeared in the 'Times of India' dated December 1, 2006 said that on the morning of Nov. 29, 2006 a newborn died of hunger and cold as the policemen at Howrah police station turned a deaf ear and continued to grill the mother.
The report said the mother, Soma Giri was picked up a day earlier from Palpara, for bearing a child out of wedlock. She was mentally challenged, the report added. The mother of Soma Giri who accompanied her pleaded the cops to let Soma off for the night as the baby needed to be nursed. The policemen however, did not listen. As the temperature dipped, the four-day-old girl child shivered in the absence of warm clothes the report further added.
The Commission has directed that a copy of the newspaper report be transmitted to the Chief Secretary and DGP, West Bengal for their comments within two weeks.
****
The National Human Rights Commission has asked for comments from Chief Secretary and DGP, West Bengal on the reported death of a newborn, as cops grilled the mother in Howrah Police station. Taking suo-motu cognizance of a newspaper report, which highlighted the incident, the Commission said if the contents of the report are true, they raise a serious issue of violation of Human Rights of women and children.
The report which appeared in the 'Times of India' dated December 1, 2006 said that on the morning of Nov. 29, 2006 a newborn died of hunger and cold as the policemen at Howrah police station turned a deaf ear and continued to grill the mother.
The report said the mother, Soma Giri was picked up a day earlier from Palpara, for bearing a child out of wedlock. She was mentally challenged, the report added. The mother of Soma Giri who accompanied her pleaded the cops to let Soma off for the night as the baby needed to be nursed. The policemen however, did not listen. As the temperature dipped, the four-day-old girl child shivered in the absence of warm clothes the report further added.
The Commission has directed that a copy of the newspaper report be transmitted to the Chief Secretary and DGP, West Bengal for their comments within two weeks.
****