Taking “suo motu cognisance of a media report that two students, belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, got electrocuted to death while cleaning a water tank on the instructions of the superintendent of a government-run hostel in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on September 25”, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the chief secretary and the director general of police, the State government, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

It appears that the hostel authorities have acted in an “insensitive manner” by asking the young boys to execute such a hazardous task resulting in their deaths, the Apex rights body said. It has issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government over reports that two tribal students were electrocuted allegedly while cleaning a water tank on the instructions of the superintendent of a government-run hostel in Dhar district.

In a statement, the NHRC said, going by the reports, it appears that the hostel authorities have acted in an “insensitive manner” by asking the young boys to execute such a hazardous task resulting in their deaths.

According to the media report, carried on September 26, the students came into contact with a live wire connected to a water pump inside the tank while cleaning it.

They were spotted lying in the tank by villagers, who reportedly informed the hostel authorities, it said.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious concern about human rights violations of the victim students.

Accordingly, the Commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary and the director general of police, the government of Madhya Pradesh, seeking a detailed report within two weeks, said a statement by the NHRC here.

It is also expected to include the status of the police investigation and compensation, if any, paid to the aggrieved families of both victims, the statement added.