Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Jagatsinghpur Collector to take action against a group of people including a state cadre officer for dancing in a marriage procession in blatant violation of Covid protocol.
Acting on a petition filed by rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the rights body has issued the direction June 3 asking the authority to take appropriate action within eight weeks and inform the commission.
As per the petition, Bulbul Behera, an Odisha administrative officer, serving as Sukinda tehsildar had May 21 last danced during the marriage procession of her brother at Jagannathpur village under Jagatsinghpur district, violating the Covid guidelines.
The petitioner also alleged that the people who participated in the procession violated Covid norms as they did not wear masks and did not maintain social distance.
Although as per the guidelines issued by the government a maximum of 25 people can participate in the marriage function, more than 40 people participated in the event, violating the Covid norms, Tripathy alleged.
The petitioner requested the apex rights body to seek replies from the state authorities on why cases against all the participants of the procession have not been registered and who had given the permission for holding the procession.
The petitioner further urged the NHRC to give direction for arrest of all those who flouted Covid guidelines and ensure fair trial of the case and take legal action against the local magistrate (in-charge of Covid protocol), police and the sarpanch who allowed the procession in violation of Covid guidelines.
Agencies