The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a final reminder to the Baleswar Superintendent of Police (SP) on Thursday to submit the progress report on the death of girl student and 26 others falling sick in the Purubi Kanyashram at Baleswar district due to food poisoning. .
The NHRC directed the SP to submit the report within four weeks.
The commission passed the direction taking cognisance of a petition filled by lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy.
According to the petitioner, 27 minor girl students fell sick at the Soro-based Purubai Kanyashram on February 17, 2023 due to serving of poor quality of food to the inmates.
The 27 inmates of the Kanyashram were admitted to the Soro CHC for food poisoning and three of them were later shifted to the FM Medical College Hospital where Class IX student Bini Singh, succumbed during treatment.
Tripathy stated that as per the locals’ information, contaminated water and poor quality of food were being served to the inmates. He alleged that the failure of the concerned authorities in regularly checking the quality of food, water and health of the poor minor girls amounts to serious violation of human rights.