Suo Motu Cognizance

The Commission took suo motu cognizance in 11 cases of alleged human rights violations reported by media during March, 2016 and issued notices to the concerned authorities for reports. Summaries of some of these cases are as follows:
Emergency like situation in Hyderabad University
(Case No. 307/36/2/2016)
The media reported that there was an emergency like situation in Hyderabad University and there was no water, electricity, food, internet services and ATMs were out of order. Reportedly, there was heavy police presence in the Campus. The University students were under immense fear and trauma due to indiscriminate arrests of about 25 students and 2 faculty members after the incidents of vandalizing the office of the Vice Chancellor and damage to the public property on the 23rd March, 2016. The Commission has issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana and Police Commissioner, Hyderabad calling for reports.
The Commission has observed that the reported arbitrary act and high handedness of senior officials of the University as well as police and administration, raise serious concerns towards safety and security of the students. No one can be deprived of the basic amenities like water, food and electricity by the willful act of the State.
Honour killing
(Case No. 643/22/0/2016)
The media reported about an alleged honour killing of a young Dalit man, who had married an upper caste Hindu girl in Udumalaipett, District Thiruppur, Tamil Nadu on the 13th March, 2016. The girl's family had attempted to bring her back through police but she refused saying that she was a major and had exercised her right to marry the man of her choice.
Issuing notices to the Government of Tamil Nadu, through its Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, calling for a report, the Commission has observed that the incident has raised serious question relating to the safety of the persons belonging to lower castes in the country. The matter was in the knowledge of the police but it failed to provide them adequate security.
Suicide by indebted farmers
(Case No. 644/22/13/2016)
The media reported about the two farmers in Tamil Nadu who allegedly, unable to bear the trauma of being harassed, assaulted and insulted by the loaning agencies, committed suicide. One hailed from District Thanjavur while the other from District Cudallore. Both had taken loan for purchasing a tractor and were not able to clear all the dues as scheduled.
The Commission observed that it approves the realization of debt through lawful means but totally disapproves the forcible recovery by torturing farmers. The intemperate and immoderate attitude of the bank officials and the involvement of police in torturing farmers and their servants for forcible recovery are prevalent in different States of the country. Such form of forcible recovery by itself amounts to human rights violation. Accordingly, notices have been issued to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for reports.
Death of a minor due to surgical negligence
(Case No. 1376/30/8/2016)
The media reported on the 24th February, 2016 that a minor girl died when a blade was left in her body after surgery at the Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi. Post surgery, when the child's father took up the matter of pain to her daughter, the doctors ignored him despite the x-ray showing the presence of a surgical blade in her body. When the father of the child protested, the treatment papers including the x-ray report was taken away. The Commission has issued a notice to the Secretary, union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Chief Medical Officer, Safdarjung Hospital calling for factual reports.

Negligence towards a victim of road accident
(Case No. 515/12/8/2016)
The media reported that 22 year old Vikas Prasad Soniya was hit by a bus in front of Vidhan Sabha in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on the 1st March, 2016. The police personnel, manning the heavily secured area, merely lifted him from the middle of the road and dumped him on the pavement, writhing in pain for 45 minutes, till the Chief Minister's cavalcade passed. Thereafter, he was taken to the J.P. Hospital on an ambulance but for 20 minutes he got no medical attention. Later, he was referred to the Narmada Trauma Centre, where he died due to severe head injuries. The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh calling for a report.
Life saving drugs
(Case No. 1187/30/3/2016)
The media reported on the 8th February, 2016 that the Centre, 'in public interest', had removed a custom duty waiver and also imposed excise duty on 76 life saving drugs. But the move resulted in increasing their cost. The Commission has observed that at a time when the healthcare system in the country as a whole is plagued with various ills, any action that pushes up the cost of medicines is bound to adversely affect people's right to healthcare. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretaries, Union Ministries of Finance and Health & Family Welfare calling for reports.
Rescued bonded labourers
(Case No. 547/22/12/2016-BL)
The media reported that in a massive drive on the 2nd March, 2016, about 550 bonded labourers including several women hailing from Odisha and Chhattisgarh were rescued from a brick kiln at Pondavakkam of Ponneri Taluk in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. They were allegedly forced to work from 03:00 a.m. with meager weekly wages of Rs. 400/- per family. The Commission has issued notice to Secretary, Labour Department, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a factual report, including the steps taken for their rehabilitation.
Increasing incidents of missing children
(Case No. 739/22/13/2016)
The media reported on the 23rd March, 2016 that in Tamil Nadu more than two children go missing every day. During the first three months of the current year, 271 children had gone missing in the State. Reportedly, police do not investigate these cases seriously as these missing children belonged to the poor. The begging is banned in the State but it continues without any action. There is no system to check the origins of beggars and find out whether the children accompanying them were legitimately related to them. Reportedly, the mafia that controls bagging, child prostitution and adoption rackets could be behind these disappearances.
Observing that what bigger pain can be there for the parents and the little children than losing each other, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for detailed reports in the matter.
The Commission has also drawn their attention to the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 75/2012 dated the 10th May, 2013 wherein a number of directions, including mandatory registration of FIRs and prompt investigation in the matter of missing children, were issued. The NHRC has issued a number of recommendations and guidelines on the issue of missing children, which were also noted by the Supreme Court while hearing the matter.
Beating of a youth for hours on a train
(Case No. 702/12/20/2016)
The media reported that a young boy was mercilessly beaten by some fellow passengers for hours on board a Mumbai bound train in the night of the 25th March, 2016 without any action either by the Railway Protection Force, RPF or the Government Railway Police, GRP to save him.
Reportedly, he had an altercation over drinking water from the bottle of a fellow passenger. Thereafter, a group of them beat and hanged him upside down out of the window of the fast moving train for nearly four hours. He was eventually saved by some vendors from their clutches. The Commission has issued notices to the Chairman, Railway Board and the Director General of Police, Government of Madhya Pradesh calling for reports.