New Delhi, Sep 18 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a report within two weeks from the Uttar Pradesh government and the state police chief over a woman being allegedly doused with petrol and burnt alive by a group of people in Farrukhabad district, an official said on Thursday.
The NHRC issued the direction after taking suo motu cognizance of a media report over the September 6 incident, said the official in a statement.
According to the media report, the victim had gone out of her home to buy medicine for her daughter when she was assaulted. Later, she succumbed to her injuries at a hospital.
“The Commission has examined the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violations. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks,” said the NHRC official in a statement.
The government and police chief’s report is expected to include the action taken against the perpetrators and compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the deceased, it said.
In a separate case, the NHRC sought a reply within two weeks from Chhattisgarh government after taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that a number of unclaimed dead bodies had piled up in the mortuary of the District Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh as there is no place allotted for their last rites.
The media report said that the responsibility for cremations is allotted to the NGO. Reportedly, three unidentified bodies had not even been sent for post-mortem examinations since last week, said statement.
“The contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights as the dead also deserve the last rights with dignity in accordance with their religion. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks,” it said.
The Commission had also issued an advisory in 2021 for upholding the dignity and protecting the rights of the dead. It said that it is a well-accepted legal position that the right to life, fair treatment and dignity, derived from the Article 21 of the Constitution of India, extends not only to the living persons but also to the dead.
According to the media report, carried on September 9, 2025, 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 said NGO.
Reportedly, the land could be re-used after refilling of the soil, but no action has been taken by the district administration so far.
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