New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday issued notice to the Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments over alleged torture of 12 orphaned juveniles brought from Bihar to a madrasa in Chennai.
Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that two persons were arrested in Chennai for allegedly housing and abusing orphaned juveniles from Bihar and rescued 12 children from a madrasa located at Ponniammanmedu, the Rights body has issued notices to the Chief Secretaries to the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Bihar and the Commissioner of Police, Chennai, calling for a detailed report in the matter, within 4 weeks.
The Commission has observed that though the police has reportedly acted promptly and the accused were arrested but the matter is grave and serious in nature requiring a thorough investigation by the law enforcing and child welfare agencies to see if there are other such facilities, where the innocent children are being brought from other parts of the country and being subjected to abuse and harassment.
The NHRC said it also asked for the present health status of the victim boys and further action taken or proposed to be taken by the agencies concerned, according to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act to ensure protection of the victims.
In addition to this, the Commission has asked its Special Rapporteur, Rajinder Kumar Malik to visit the Bihar from where these juveniles were brought to Tamil Nadu.
He is expected to conduct a fact Finding investigation with regard to the incident wherein young orphaned juvenile victims were taken to places in different States.
He has also been asked to meet and examine the victim juveniles in Chennai to know more about the incident. His report is expected within one month.
