Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Odisha Chief Secretary and the Superintendent of Police of Gajapati district over the death of two girl students following the collapse of an iron gate at a government primary school, directing them to submit a detailed report within two weeks.
The Commission took suo motu cognisance of media reports on the April 15 incident in Gajapati district, where the two children lost their lives after the school gate suddenly collapsed.
According to reports, the girls were playing near the school entrance when the structure gave way and fell on them. Locals immediately rescued the victims and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared both dead on arrival.
Observing that the reported facts, if confirmed, raise serious concerns of human rights violations, the NHRC has sought a comprehensive account of the incident, including the circumstances leading to the collapse, responsibility for any negligence, and steps taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
The incident has drawn attention to safety conditions in government schools, highlighting the need for regular inspection, maintenance, and monitoring of infrastructure to ensure the safety of students.
