The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a show cause notice to the State Government as to why a compensation of `3 lakh should not be paid to the next of kin of a seven-year-old girl, a student of Class II of a Government school in Puri district, who succumbed to her injuries at the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, while undergoing treatment for the injuries she sustained at the school when a big almirah kept in the classroom fell on her on July 29, 2013.
Acting on a petition by lawyer and human rights activist Prabir Kumar Das, the commission has sought a reply within six weeks from the Government while stating that the girl’s death has caused irreparable loss to her family, for which the State must bear liability.
Das sought the NHRC’s intervention on August 5, 2013 seeking an independent inquiry into the incident in which Sony Pradhan, a student of Uttarhana UGME School under the Chandanpur police limits, was severely injured, ultimately leading to her death on August 2, 2013. Das demanded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the girl.
An inquiry report by the SP of Puri into the incident sought by the NHRC stated that while Sony’s friends were playing in the classroom during recess, a rack of plywood fell on her. At that time the class teacher was engaged in distribution of midday meal.
The SP’s report said that after being informed about the mishap, Sony’s parents took her to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, from where she was referred to the SCB Medical College Hospital. The SP’s report had concluded that there was no negligence on the part of the school teachers.
After considering the materials placed on record, the NHRC has observed that Sony had suffered injuries in the classroom while she was under the care and custody of the Government school.