Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) within four weeks from superintendent of police of Puri regarding the gang-rape of a Bengali woman near Konark.
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy had moved the NHRC about the gang-rape of a woman from West Bengal at a market complex in Konark. The woman had come to Konark October 7.
The survivor was rescued from a room in Konark Market Complex in a critical condition October 17 after she was raped for 10 days by 12 persons.
One Subash Behera had lured the woman from West Bengal to visit the Sun temple at Konark. The kingpin of the crime is at large. The condition of the survivor is still critical.
Tripathy said lack of adequate police patrolling, unfilled vacancies in police stations, lack of infrastructure and surveillance has put a question mark on human rights and the safety of women in the state.
He said nothing much has been done to curb heinous crimes in the state. The failure of the state to act on the issue amounts to a serious violation of human rights. No compensation, rehabilitation and psycho-social counselling have been provided to rape survivor, the petitioner contended.
Tripathy urged the NHRC to probe the case independently, arrest the culprits, pay compensation, provide psycho-social counselling, rehabilitate the survivor and recommend steps for the prevention of such crimes in the state.
Seeking a report within four weeks, the NHRC warned that if the report was not received before the deadline it would be forced to invoke Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, for personal appearance of the concerned official.
The NHRC asked the concerned authorities to intimate whether they have received any notice in this matter from the State Human Rights Commission. If yes, a copy of the order has to be sent to the NHRC within four weeks.
The NHRC also said a copy of the complaint should be sent to the secretary of State Human Rights Commission within four weeks asking him to inform the NHRC about the date on which they took cognizance of the matter.
PNN
