The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought action-taken reports (ATRs) from the SC&ST Development and School and Mass Education department Secretaries over minor girl students becoming pregnant and delivering babies in hostels after being subjected to sexual abuse in Sevashrams. Acting on two different petitions filed by rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC has sought response from the authorities within four weeks.
The petitioner pointed out in his petition that a Class VI tribal minor girl student of Umuri Ashram School (Government-run residential school for SC / ST students) in Koraput district delivered a boy on last February 4, 2015. Just 12 days after the incident a Class X student of another similar school in Kandhamal district also gave birth to a boy.
“The two incidents have exposed how the day to day affairs are going on in the Schools meant for the welfare of the SC/ST community. Even the teachers are unaware that in such cases they should immediately inform police and provide medical care to the minor girls. The failure of the Government officials especially of the SC and ST and School and Mass Education Secretary in ensuring basic rights of the minor school children amounts to torture, harassment and serious human rights violation,” alleged Tripathy. The petitioner requested the NHRC to investigate the case by a team of experts and direct the State to rehabilitate the minor girls with their children and ensure them proper medical care and compensation.