The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report about the self-immolation of a 19-year-old student in Odisha’s Kendrapara district amid allegations of police inaction for nearly six months on the complaint about a former boyfriend blackmailing her.
The student committed “suicide” on August 6 by pouring petrol on herself when her parents were not at home. She was a Plus-Three final-year student at a college in Pattamundai.
The commission has issued a notice to Odisha director-general of police Y.B. Khurania, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, including the status of the investigation.
It took notice of reports saying that the boyfriend was threatening to circulate the girl’s obscene photos and videos on social media. The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.
The girl’s father alleged that the former boyfriend was blackmailing her and that he had approached the police about six months back.
However, instead of registering an FIR or taking any action against the accused, a police officer reportedly discouraged the student’s father from pursuing the matter and suggested blocking the blackmailer’s phone number.
The police arrested the accused on August 10 and sent him to jail.