The School and Mass Education Secretary has been asked to appear before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) personally on June 9 and submit all relevant reports pertaining to the suspicious death of a Class VIII student in Koraput district in 2013. The NHRC summons for personal appearance of the Secretary came when the latter failed to respond to the repeated notices of the commission over the matter.
The commission however, in its order has clarified that in case, the relevant reports are made available to the commission on or before June 5, the Secretary shall be exempted from personal appearance on June 9. Acting on a petition filed by rights campaigner Subash Mohapatra of Global Human Rights Communications, the commission had issued notice to S&ME Secretary on September 3, 2013 calling a report within four weeks. Despite reminder on September 18 last year and January 13 the authorities did not comply with order.
The matter further considered on May 8 when the commission issued summons for personal appearance of the Secretary. The commission has also warned the Secretary would be subject to the consequences of non-attendance laid down in order 16 rule 10 and order 16 rule 12 CPC if the Secretary fails to comply with the order without lawful excuse.
Notably, Rajendra Kadria, a Class VIII student and son of Biswanath Kaclria of village Kusuma (Similiguda) under Sambai gram panchayat, who was staying hostel in Biju High School, Sunki was found dead only 50 meters away from the school on August 24, 2013. The parents alleged that he was killed by teachers and school managing committee members.