The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded an Action Taken Report (ATR) from Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education and the Commissioner of Police on a case of suicide by a 19-year-old female student of BJB Autonomous College in Bhubaneswar. The case came under the scrutiny of the rights panel since ragging was alleged to be the cause behind the teenager’s extreme step.
Acting on a petition filed by Civil Rights Lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex human rights body has directed the concerned authorities to furnish ATR within four weeks’ time. The petition sought stringent legal action against the culprits and payment of a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of the deceased.
It may be recalled here that the teenaged student of first year history honours at the BJB Autonomous College, committed suicide on July 2. The suicide note recovered from the girl’s belongings pointed to an incident of ragging involving her seniors at the college.
Demand for a thorough probe into the case gathered momentum and reached the State’s Assembly during its monsoon session.