New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a private bus carrying over 50 labourers in Rajasthan caught fire after touching an overhead 11 KV power cable, resulting in the death of two of them and injuries to 10 others.
The incident happened near Manoharpur village on the Jaipur-Delhi highway on October 29. The labourers were travelling from the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh to a brick kiln in Rajasthan.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of the human rights of the victims. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Rajasthan, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the media report, published on October 29, the bus was crossing an internal road near the village at the time of the incident.
Household goods and gas cylinders kept on the roof of the overcrowded bus touched the live wire.
In a separate case, the NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a media report that negligence of the authorities in not maintaining the lift at a Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu resulted in the death of a 58-year-old woman.
Reportedly, the hospital elevator abruptly started moving upwards at high speed when she stepped into it, resulting in serious injuries to her.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of the human rights of the victim woman. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, UT of Jammu & Kashmir, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the media report, published on November 6, it took about 15 minutes to retrieve her from the lift.
Citing negligence by the hospital, her relatives alleged that there was no lift operator or security guard present. They also alleged that the authorities failed to display any warning signs about the technical issues of the malfunctioning lift.
The victim struggled in the ICU for five days before succumbing to her injuries.
–IANS
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