NHRC seeks action taken report on injury of three tribals in an explosion

12 February, Bhubaneswar

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Defence Ministry and Balsore Superintendent of Police to submit the action taken report on the injury caused to three tribals in Balasore District following the explosion of an object.

Padmabati (30) her son Sameer (8) and daughter Rakhi (3) of Chematata forest inside Kuldiha sanctuary near Nilagiri in Balasore district were seriously burnt after the object exploded while her son was playing with it near his home on December 31 last year. Sameer, found the object in the forest while accompanied her mother who had gone to the forest to collect fuel wood and brought it home.

The NHRC gave the direction recently acting on a petition filed by Human Rights Watch,an organization working for the protection of human rights, Secretary Sangeeta Swain on January one last.

The petitioner alleged that after the incident a police case could not be registered as Nilagiri, Brahmagiri and Kaptipada police stations refused to register the case stating that the site of the incident did not belong to their jurisdiction.

Ms Swain prayed the Commission to initiate criminal proceedings against the officials responsible for the incident and to provide free treatment and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the victims.