NHRC seeks report on injured child worker within 2 weeks

Bhubaneswar, Jan 23:

Two days after the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) asked the state government to submit an action taken report on brutal attack on a child worker from Bolangir district within four weeks, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday directed Karnataka and Odisha governments to submit a report on the incident within two weeks.

A 10-year migrant child labourer from Bolangir Sushant Kumbhar was hit with an iron rod allegedly by the owner of a brick kiln in Gulbarga in Karnataka where he was employed along with his parents.

Taking suo-motu cognizance of media reports in the case, the Commission said it has issued notices to both the states asking them to submit their reports in two weeks’ time.

Sushant is in danger of losing his left hand. He is currently under treatment at the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. A team of doctors formed to look after him, has suggested plastic surgery of the injured limb of the boy.

The Commission has also mentioned that the media has highlighted the miseries of other migrant labourers from Odisha  who are victimised by touts and brick kiln owners in Karnataka due to lack of effective action by the state authorities.

The Commission observed that “the contents of the media reports, if true, raises serious human rights issues” while slapping notices on the Chief Secretaries of Karnataka and Odisha.