NCPCR seeks Tamil Nadu chief secretary's report on 'two finger tests'

CUDDALORE: The National commission for protection of child rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognizance of a report of OpIndia on May 4 on 'forced virginity test' on minor daughters of priests of Lord Nataraja temple in Chidambaram, and directed the Tamil Nadu chief secretary V Irai Anabu to inquire into the issue and submit an action taken report to the commission within seven days.
Commission chairperson Priyank Kanoongo in a notice to Irai Anbu on May 4 said the commission came across the OpIndia report citing that 'the governor of Tamil Nadu Ravindra Narayana Ravi exposed the shocking truth about how minor girls were forced to undergo the two-finger test, also known as the virginity test, by the state administration in an effort to defame podhu dikshithars (temple priests) in an explosive interview with The Times of India.'
"Out of vengance, government officers of the social welfare department lodged eight complaints against podhu dikshithars that they were marrying off their underage children, while there were no such marriages, governor Ravi said," said Kanoongo in the notice.
Kanoongo said parents were arrested and put behind prisons. "And the girls, sixth and seventh standard students were forcibly taken from home to the hospitals and made to undergo two finger tests, virginity tests. Some of them tried to commit suicide, he (governor) revealed and stated that he wrote a letter to the chief minister questioning the horrific ordeal," said the chairperson adding that the commission took suo moto cognizance under section 13 (l) and (j) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
The chairperson directed Irai Anbu to inquire into the issue while ensuring not to disclose the identity of the victims and submit a factual action taken report within seven days to the commission. The chairperson also directed Anbu to submit copies of FIRs lodged by the social welfare department on child marriages, status of action taken against the accused and parents and follow up legal action and details on producing minor children before the medical officers for examinations and before the chief welfare committee.