The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for an action-taken report (ATR) within four weeks from the State Government over sexual harassment of a postgraduate student at the SCB Medical College, Cuttack.
Acting on a complaint filed by rights campaigner Subash Mohapatra, the rights panel on Monday called for ATR from the Health and Family Welfare Secretary and the Cuttack DCP.
The complainant has alleged that the victim, belonging to Scheduled Caste, was sexually harassed by the head of Anaesthesia Department head of the Hospital.
“The victim had written to the SCBMCH Principal and Superintendent seeking action against the crime committed on her. Unfortunately, the authorities tried to pacify and attempted the tardy implementation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court. The committee issued a notice to the PG student asking her to appear before it on February 24, but her statement could not properly recorded thereby violating principle of natural justice,” Mohapatra said.
As per the victim’s complaint to Mangalabag police station, Dr laxmidhar Das was arrested released on bail.
Mohapatra sought intervention of the rights panel for its direction to suspend the concerned public authorities and invoke Section 4 of the SC/ST POA Act on them, payment of interim compensation as per law and submission of a status report on the sexual harassment of girl students in educational institution of the State.