NHRC takes suo-motu cognizance of two serious incidents concerning the rights of children New Delhi, 24 September 2003
The National Human Rights Commission took suo-motu cognizance of two serious incidents concerning the employment of a child by an IAS Officer in Andhra Pradesh and the gang-rape of a child in Punjab, on the basis of media reports.
In respect of the first incident, the Commission forwarded a copy of the press report titled "IAS Officer's help, 10, tried to poison him" to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh and Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India, New Delhi for their comments within four weeks. According to it, the Banjara Hills Police, Hyderabad has registered a criminal case against a minor boy, who is 10 years old and employed as a servant at a senior IAS officer's residence. However, according to that report, the police did not register a case against the official for breach of the Child Labour Act.
In response to another press report entitled "4-year-old muted by gang rape" which appeared today in a national daily, the Commission sent a copy of that news item to the Director General of Police, Punjab and senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana, to look into that report and submit their comments within four weeks. According to that report, a 4 ½ year old girl was gang-raped by six persons outside her residence in the Focal Point area, Ludhiana about a month ago. The terror-striken girl has not spoken since then. No case has been registered against the culprits though several representations were made by the victim's mother to the police. She had already identified all the six culprits and told the police about them but they still are roaming freely and asking her to leave the place.
The Chairperson, NHRC, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand observed that if the contents of both the reports were true, they raised serious issue of violation of human rights.
In respect of the first incident, the Commission forwarded a copy of the press report titled "IAS Officer's help, 10, tried to poison him" to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh and Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India, New Delhi for their comments within four weeks. According to it, the Banjara Hills Police, Hyderabad has registered a criminal case against a minor boy, who is 10 years old and employed as a servant at a senior IAS officer's residence. However, according to that report, the police did not register a case against the official for breach of the Child Labour Act.
In response to another press report entitled "4-year-old muted by gang rape" which appeared today in a national daily, the Commission sent a copy of that news item to the Director General of Police, Punjab and senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana, to look into that report and submit their comments within four weeks. According to that report, a 4 ½ year old girl was gang-raped by six persons outside her residence in the Focal Point area, Ludhiana about a month ago. The terror-striken girl has not spoken since then. No case has been registered against the culprits though several representations were made by the victim's mother to the police. She had already identified all the six culprits and told the police about them but they still are roaming freely and asking her to leave the place.
The Chairperson, NHRC, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand observed that if the contents of both the reports were true, they raised serious issue of violation of human rights.