NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of rape and murder of 10-year-old girl in Bihar

New Delhi, Sep 3 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by the caretaker of a garden in the Maner area of Bihar’s Patna district.

According to the press report, the accused lured the victim, who had gone to collect wood, by offering her a guava and took her to a room near the garden, where he committed the crime. The girl was reported missing by her family on August 26, and her body was recovered two days later, on August 28, from a tree in the waterlogged garden.

Taking note of the media report, the apex human rights body observed that the contents, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations. The NHRC has issued notices to the Bihar Director General of Police and the Patna District Magistrate, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, including information on any compensation provided to the next of kin of the deceased.

Based on CCTV footage, the Bihar Police said that the girl was raped and then murdered, and the accused, Bhola Rai (48), who committed the crime, has been arrested.

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.

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