New Delhi: The NHRC has sought a report from the Rajasthan government and state police chief within two weeks over a 50-year-old labourer getting buried-to-death under the soil while digging a sewer pit in Ajmer earlier this month, an official said on Saturday.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of a media report related to a labourer on the campus of a power plant in Ajmer district on July 14.
Reportedly, the victim, along with other labourers, was digging a 30-feet-deep pit when the incident happened.
The Commission observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious violation of the human rights of the victim.
It issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan and the Commissioner of Police, Ajmer, calling for a detailed report within two weeks with details on compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the deceased.
According to the media report, carried on July 15, the victim was about 18 feet down when the soil suddenly caved in, burying him under it. The other labourers managed to escape.
The police, along with Civil Defence personnel, reached the spot and took the victim out after an effort of about 6 to 7 hours. The body of the deceased was sent for the post-mortem examination.
In another development, the Commission has planned a two-day ‘Open Hearing and Camp Sitting’ in Hyderabad to hear 109 alleged cases of human rights violations of Telangana on July 28 and 29 to expedite justice for victims.
NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Members, Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi and Vijaya Bharathi Sayani will hear the cases in the presence of the complainants and the State officers at the MCR HRD Institute, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad on July 28, 2025, from 10 a.m.
NHRC Secretary General Bharat Lal, Director General (Investigation) R.P. Meena, Registrar (Law) Joginder Singh and other senior officers will be present.
The cases to be taken up during the hearing include alleged abuse of power by the police personnel, denial of benefits under various social welfare schemes of government, irregularities in jails, alleged negligence in protecting the human rights of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, rights of the students studying in various schools across the State, rights of the women including health issues faced by them especially the pregnant women and lactating mothers, and trafficking, among others.
On the next day, the Commission will interact with senior officers of the State Government at 11 a.m. to sensitise them on various human rights issues and the importance of expeditious justice to the victims of human rights violations.
(IANS)
