State Human Rights Commission issues notices to government officials in Unnao rape case

LUCKNOW: Taking suo motu cognizance of the TOI report on rape of a teenage girl allegedly by her teacher in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission on Friday issued notices to principal secretary home, UP DGP, Superintendent of Police (SP) Unnao and vice-chancellor of the Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University seeking a detailed report about the incident by June 14. The commission has also directed SP Unnao to personally monitor the case registered against the teacher Hari Narayan and cook Anuradha. Principal secretary home has been directed by the UPHRC to ensure payment of Rs 25,000 compensation to victim's family by June 7 and MU to provide free treatment to the girl.

Justice Vishnu Sahai, member UPHRC, in his order stated, "A perusal of the news item published under the caption "Teacher rapes girl, cook terminates her pregnancy" in The Times of India on May 18, 2012 shows how in a beastly manner one Hari Narayan, a teacher in government run Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Unnao, raped a 14-year old girl and Anuradha, a cook in the school, forced her to take pill which resulted in excessive bleeding. The victim was rushed to hospital. Her condition is still critical. According to the chief medical superintendent of the said medical university, the uterus of the victim has been damaged and certain internal complications have developed, An FIR has been lodged and Hari Narayan and Anuradha have been arrested".

Justice Sahai, further said "I make no bones in observing that if the aforesaid facts are true, it is a fit case wherein the fundamental right to life guaranteed to the victim by Article 21 of the Constitution in which is implicit the right to life with dignity has been violated in a most savage manner by Hari Narayan, who being a teacher at the government run Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Unnao is a public authority." He also stated that it is indeed distressing and shocking that a teacher who was expected to act like a guardian/father of the victim raped her in such a depraved manner. If Commission remains a mute spectator to such happenings, incidence of such offences would rise and the citizens would become sceptical about its existence.


(2012-05-19/indiatimes)