‘States didn’t heed caution regarding sleeper buses’: NHRC issues notice to Delhi, UP over minor girl rape in moving vehicle

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Tuesday that it has served notices to the governments of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, calling for probe into the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in a moving empty sleeper bus late last month, and claimed that several state governments did not pay heed to the NHRC’s previous warning that such vehicles have been violating rules.

Speaking to IANS, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said: “The incident that has come to light in Delhi, where a rape was committed against a girl inside a moving sleeper coach bus over a distance of nearly 47 kilometers, in itself highlights the horrific nature of the crime. We have issued notices to both the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments regarding this matter. We have called for an investigation and probe into the incident, and given directives for the rehabilitation of the child.”

He said that the NHRC has been cautioning the state governments over the past one year, that sleeper coach buses have been flouting norms.

“It is unfortunate that several state governments have not yet taken effective action regarding this. So, we are again going to speak to all the state governments that cabins, curtains etc. in sleeper buses hamper the safety of passengers and those need to be looked into,” he added.

According to the police, the incident took place near Pari Chowk in Greater Noida on August 4.

The survivor alleged in her complaint that the two accused sexually assaulted the victim and threatened to kill her if she resisted. They later abandoned the girl near Kashmere Gate in Delhi.

The accused, identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep, were arrested from a parking area in Timarpur on the same day.

Meanwhile, Priyank Kanoongo also reacted to the death of a 10-year-old girl after she was allegedly made to stand in the sun as punishment.

Mentioning that Section 17 of the Right to Education Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act contain strict provisions prohibiting any kind of physical or mental punishment or harassment of children in schools, the NHRC member said: “This incident is dangerous in itself, that a child was made to stand in the heat, which unfortunately resulted in her death.”

“In this matter, we have issued notices to the Delhi Police and the Education Department of the Delhi government so that an FIR can be registered against the responsible teachers and management and an example could be set that serves as a deterrent to stop such harsh atrocities against students,” Kanoongo added.

IANS