NHRC seeks report on pregnant minor student’s death

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action taken report from the collector and superintendent of police (SP) of Gajapati district regarding the death of a pregnant minor student.
The commission issued the order on Tuesday after hearing a petition from human rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy. The petitioner alleged that a minor dalit girl from Gajapati died due to medical negligence on May 6 while undergoing treatment at district headquarters hospital, Paralakhemundi.
The girl, a Class VIII student of a residential school run by the ST & SC development department in Gajapati district, was found pregnant.
His complaint also mentioned that the school authorities had not informed the parents about her pregnancy earlier.
The girl had come home on April 22 on a summer vacation. When she fell ill, she was taken to a community health centre near her village. Later she was rushed to DHH. But the girl succumbed to her illness while undergoing treatment. Her haemoglobin level was very low.
Tripathy said the death of a pregnant minor student is a violation of human rights. “Therefore, I have requested for the commission’s intervention for legal action against the culprits, compensation to the bereaved family and proper counselling along with regular medical check-up of students studying in the state-run schools,” he added.