Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently directed the state Chief Secretary to pay Rs 1 lakh to a Class VIII student of a government school, whose hair was forcibly chopped down by a teacher in the classroom.
Admitting the petition filed by rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy the NHRC also sought a report within four weeks.
Though the panel had last year asked to pay the sum to the victim, the administration failed to submit the compliance report to NHRC, it was learnt.
Tripathy alleged in his petition that teacher Jaysmita Sa of Bileigarh Project Upper Primary School in Sundargarh district cut the hair of Biraj Mahji, 14, inside the classroom January 6, 2015. The victim later had gone missing for a couple of days.
Biraj’s father Kartika Majhi, a tribal resident of Bileigarh, lodged an FIR in Rajgangpur police station alleging that his son had gone missing after being humiliated in the classroom by his teacher.
Based on the complaint, police had arrested the teacher and produced her in court January 23, 2015. Taking all the details including replies filed by the state authorities into consideration, the Commission asked the CS to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to Biraj Majhi whose human rights were violated by the teacher of a government school.
The NHRC asked the CS to submit compliance report and proof of payment within four weeks.
Earlier, in response to the NHRC order an endorsed copy of the letter dated October 17, 2017 from the Deputy Secretary, Department of School and Mass Education, to the Director, Secondary Education (O) was submitted before the commission.
The letter stated about the authorisation given to the Director, Secondary Education (O), by the Principal Secretary, Department of School and Mass Education, to release the compensation. But the compliance report and proof of payment were not submitted, the NHRC said in its recent order.
As a result, the rights body issued a final reminder to the CS directing him to submit the compliance report along with proof of payment within four weeks.
PNN
