The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to act over the case of torture, harassment and corporal punishment meted out to minor students in Kendrapada district.
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy moved the NHRC over the issue seeking redressal of the grievance of the minor students of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya(JNV) at Baro.
Nearly 30 minor students, who were studying in Plus Two at Baro-based JNV on October 5 last had trekked 12 km to reach at Kendrapadra district Collector’s office to lodge a complaint against their PET for his misbehaviour. The students alleged that PET Amulya Kumar Jenaforced the students to come to his house to massage his body. If the students denied, then the PET teacher allegedly tortured them physically and also used to misbehave with them. The students also alleged that the PET had assaulted one of their classmates Ansuman Rout as he reached the playground late on September 30. Ansuman sustained injuries.
The district Collector also received complaint on the school providing substandard meals and not giving uniform and other accessories to the students for a few years now.
The petitioner alleged that justice eludes for these unfortunate students as no action has been taken against the wrong doers. No compensation has been paid to the victim students. No proper medical assistance has also been given to the injured minor student, a victim of corporal punishment. No case under the relevant provisions of law has been registered and arrest was made, the petitioner contended.
Tripathy requested the NHRC to act over the issue immediately and urged to direct the State Government to take legal action against the errant officials, pay compensation to the victim students and ensure their basic human rights with assurance that the students are not victimized for raising their voice against the torture, harassment and corporal punishment etc.
The NHRC stated that the complaint is transmitted to the OHRC with the request for disposal of the case in accordance with the law.
Notably, the Sub Collector of Kendrapada, Kanhu Charan Dhir, on last October 10 last submitted the inquiry report before the district Collector on the matters. It was found that most of the allegations were true.