New Delhi, May 11th, 2010

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging that a school namely River Dale at Surat in Gujarat forced its students to walk on the burning coal and broken glass pieces in the name of building their confidence. The incident happened on the 20th April, 2010, during a two-day night camp for students. The Commission observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of children's human rights and their physical torture, and issued a notice to the Secretary (Primary Education), Government of Gujarat, on the 7th May, 2010, calling for a factual report in the matter within four weeks.

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