NHRC issues notice to DM, SP of Barmer in Rajasthan over branding of students with iron rod

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) The NHRC on Thursday said it has issued notice to the Barmer administration over reports that some students were allegedly branded with a hot iron rod by their teacher at a hostel inside a temple complex in the Rajasthan district.

Reportedly, the video of the incident also went viral on social media, the National Human Rights Commission said.

The human rights body said it has taken "suo motu cognisance of a media report that a teacher, annoyed with the bedwetting by some students, branded them with a hot iron rod at a hostel inside a temple complex in Barmer district".

The NHRC has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of human rights.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the district magistrate and the superintendent of police of Barmer, seeking a detailed report within two weeks, including the health status of the victim students.

According to the media report, carried on August 22, one of the injured boys reached his home and reported the matter to his family, after which the villagers gathered in large numbers to protest, the commission said.

In another statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that about 18 students at a government school in Bihar were allegedly subjected to "corporal punishment" by their teacher after locking them inside a room in Haflaganj area of Katihar district on August 21.

"Their ordeal stopped when some parents raised the alarm while visiting the premises in connection with some work," it said.

The commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raises serious issues of violation of the human rights of the students.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the state's chief secretary and the superintendent of police of Katihar, seeking a detailed report in two weeks.

According to the media report, also carried on August 22, several villagers gathered at the school and started protesting. Sensing trouble, all the male teachers fled the school. The police also reached the spot, it added. PTI KND KVK KVK