Taking cognizance of the electrocution of two teenage hockey players from Sundargarh district of Odisha, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the Odisha Energy Department and Sundargarh Superintendent of Police to furnish an Action Taken Report (ATR) on the incident.
Acting on a petition filed by Human Rights Lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex rights panel passed the order in this regard recently.
Two minor boys — Sujjal Ekka (15) and Birendra Kujjur (17) from Alanda village of the district — were electrocuted on 3 May last while they were returning home after playing a hockey match. A high voltage overhead wire snapped from the pole lying on the road and the minors died after coming in contact with the live wire, Tripathy stated in the petition.
It was sheer negligence and callousness on part of the energy department that had resulted in the untimely and tragic death of two budding hockey players, Tripathy said, seeking NHRC’s intervention in the matter.
“Transmit a copy of the complaint to the Principal Secretary, Department of Energy, Government of Odisha, and the Superintendent of Police, Sundargarh, Odisha calling for a report on the matter within 4 weeks. The Commission shall be constrained to invoke coercive process under section- 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 calling for a personal appearance of the authority concerned for submission of the report, in case the report is not received within the stipulated time”, NHRC ordered recently.