Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a summons to the Puri District Magistrate (DM) to appear before it March 18 in connection with the death of a transgender inside Srimandir. The District Collector was asked to appear before the commission along with the requisite additional report relating to the death of a 36-year-old transgender who fell from 30- foot high ‘Gumuta’ of the shrine May 1, 2022.
The commission in its direction February 12 said if the requisite reports are received on or before March 11 then the personal appearance of the Collector will be dispensed with. The order was issued acting on a petition filed by human rights defender Radhakanta Tripathy. Tripathy in his petition stated that transgender Balaram Rout of Nimapara, deprived of many social welfare schemes of the State, jumped from the ‘Gumuta’ of the famous Puri shrine May 1, 2022. He alleged that the fatal incident happened due to the failure and negligence of police and inaction on the part of the Social Justice department and temple administration which amounts to a serious violation of human rights. The commission observed that the matter is pending for want of additional report in light of the comment of the complainant wherein he made a submission that the deceased could not ensure social welfare schemes of the State and the next kin of the deceased has not received any compensation/ex-gratia/rehabilitation. A request was further made to seek a compliance report on preventive, punitive, welfare, and compensatory measures for transgenders living in the state in the interest of justice and human rights.
A reminder was issued to Puri District Magistrate August 25, 2023 for the filing of an additional report in light of the complainant’s comments. But no additional report was sent forcing the commission to issue a final reminder to the DM for submission of the requisite report within four weeks failing which the commission would be constrained to invoke its coercive power u/s 13 of the PHR Act, 1993 calling for the personal appearance of the authority concerned before the commission. The commission observed that despite the direction/reminders, the Puri DM failed to submit any report even to date. Taking a serious view of the same, the commission directed its registry to issue a summons to Puri DM u/s 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 for appearance before the commission March 18 next along with requisite additional report on the matter.