Odisha rights panel orders RDC probe into Sunita Raita suicide case

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 27:

The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has directed the state government to conduct an inquiry by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division into the suicide of Sunita Raita, a tribal nursing student of Diptinagar village under R Udayagiri block of Gajapati district who committed suicide on August 13 this year due to gross apathy of the ITDA authorities and the collector of the district in releasing the stipend money she was entitled to over a long period.

Suinta Raita
Suinta Raita

“The investigation should be made to ascertain the chain of events leading to the unfortunate death of the tribal girl student who committed suicide after being expelled from the college where she was pursuing her study in nursing”, the Commission said while acting on a petition filed by well-known human rights activist and lawyer of the Odisha High Court Prabir Kumar Das.

Besides, the Commission also directed the investigating authorities to fix responsibility “on those responsible for the inordinate delay in the release of the stipend and submit a report to the Commission within four weeks.”

It may be noted here that Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division) Bikash Chandra Mohapatra is already conducting a probe into the incident and has told the media on August 20 that he has been directed by the government to investigate and submit a report within 15 days.

The Commission also directed the commissioner-cum-secretary, SC and SC Development department to apprise the Commission of the steps taken in this regard for speedy disbursement of stipend to all the SC and ST students of the state as urged by the petitioner.

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