NHRC notice to Punjab govt over stray dog seen carrying infant’s severed head

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday said it has issued notices to the Punjab Government and police authorities over reports that a stray dog was seen carrying the “severed head of an infant” near a government hospital in Patiala district last month.

Reportedly, the attendants of the patients have alleged that stray dogs are “often found roaming” freely inside the hospital premises. And, they have also alleged poor sanitation, lack of security and negligence by the hospital authorities, the rights panel said.

In a statement, NHRC said, it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that “a stray dog was seen carrying the severed head of an infant near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala district of Punjab on August 26”.

The commission observed that the content of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation. Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary of Punjab and the SSP of Patiala, seeking a detailed report in two weeks, the statement said.

According to the media report carried on August 27 the medical superintendent of the hospital has stated that “no baby has been found missing from the hospital and in all recent cases of the deaths of children, the bodies were handed over to their families after proper documentation”, it said.

He has reportedly expressed apprehension that the remains might have been dumped outside the hospital premises by someone, NHRC said.

In another statement, NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that on August 29, in the Papadahandi area of Nabarangpur district of Odisha, a journalist sustained multiple stab wounds in an attack allegedly by a drug addict for filing a complaint against him.

Reportedly, the journalist has been hospitalised in a “critical condition”.

The commission has observed that the content of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the director general of police of Odisha, seeking a detailed report in two weeks.

The report is expected to include the status of the investigation as well as the health condition of the injured journalist, the statement said.

According to the media report, carried on August 30, the incident has sparked outrage among journalists and residents of the area.