New Delhi September 12, 2007 The National Human Rights Commission has sent notice to the Medical Superintendent, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi on a press report which said that the hospital denied treatment to burn victims, resulting in the death of three members of a family. The report which appeared in the "Hindustan Times" on September 10, 2007 said that seven members of a family had come from Agra for treatment after a cylinder blast. The hospital admitted only two patients citing shortage of beds, however one patient, a woman died during treatment. The other two, children, died outside the burns wards of the hospital. The report further stated that these patients were not even referred by the Safdarjung Hospital to anywhere else and the relatives of the victims could not figure out where to take the patients as they were new to Delhi.
The Commission after going through the distressing news report directed that a copy of the news item be forwarded to Medical Superintendent, Safdarjung Hospital, for a factual report within four weeks.

The Commission also sent notice to DGP, West Bengal and SSP, Birbhum, West Bengal, on a news report which said that a boy fled from the college after being tortured during ragging. The report which appeared in the "Telegraph" on September 6, 2007 said that a first year law student of Bengal Law College, fled the college following ragging by the students of an adjacent Engineering College. The press report said that the victim was allegedly scalded with cigarettes butts, forcibly told to address his parents in a filthy language and was slapped when he tried to shout for help. Doctors attending to the victim at Raiganj Hospital had confirmed that the scalds were from burning cigarettes.
The Commission has directed that a copy of the press report be forwarded to the two authorities for a factual report within four weeks.

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