Post News Network
Kendrapara, March 3: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the secretary, health and family welfare, government of Orissa, seeking a report within four weeks on the action taken by the government on the ragging of a Dalit girl here.
The NHRC passed the order acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy. Since the principal of the ANM training centre, Kendrapara, did not pay heed to allegations of the Dalit ANM student, the victim girl made an attempt to commit suicide by consuming paracetamol tablets after being harassed and mentally depressed.
She was ragged February 9 by Puspalata Das, the students’ secretary of the ANM hostel located on the premises of the Kendrapara district headquarters hospital.
The victim was asked to clean utensils of 40 hostel inmates. The hostel kitchen peon was absent. When she refused to clean the utensils, Puspalata and Basantilata Panda, the principal tutor of the ANM training center, allegedly mouthed casteist remarks.
As a result, the victim girl made an attempt to commit suicide, the petition pointed out.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the NHRC that ragging has been declared illegal and offenders are to be punished under criminal law and victims need to be rehabilitated with compensation.
The failure of government officials, especially education and social welfare departments, in ensuring basic rights of the Dalit girl student amounts to torture, harassment and denial of basic human rights, the petitioner said.
Tripathy requested the NHRC to investigate the case and direct the state to
rehabilitate the victim and ensure her proper medical care and compensation.
