NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of unclaimed bodies piling up in Raipur mortuary

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a number of unclaimed dead bodies are reportedly piled up in the mortuary of the Raipur District Hospital in Chhattisgarh, due to the lack of space for their last rites.

The report states that an NGO has been performing the funerals, while three unidentified bodies have not even been sent for post-mortem examinations since last week.

Taking note of the report, the apex human rights body observed that the contents, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations, as the dead also deserve to be treated with dignity and in accordance with their religion.

The NHRC has issued a notice to the Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The Commission had previously issued an advisory in 2021 emphasizing the need to uphold the dignity and protect the rights of the dead. It noted that the right to life, fair treatment, and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India extends not only to living persons but also to their dead bodies.

According to the press report, the district administration had allocated three acres of land for the last rites of unclaimed bodies about three years ago, where the last rites of over 800 unclaimed bodies were performed by the NGO.

The land could reportedly be reused after refilling of the soil, but no action has been taken by the administration so far.

Established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC, an autonomous statutory body, is an embodiment of India's concern for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Its primary role is to protect and promote human rights, defined as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of individuals guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in international covenants and enforceable by courts in India.

The apex human rights body has the power to take suo motu (on its own motion) action based on media reports, public knowledge or other sources, without receiving a formal complaint of human rights violations.

--IANS

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