NHRC issues notice to Delhi Police Commissioner over student's suicide

Girl committed suicide in Delhi police post as she was afraid of her family who were against her friendship with a 21-year-old man

The NHRC has issued a notice to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik seeking a detailed report over the class-XII student's allegedly suicide inside the Tilak Vihar police station on July 15.

Taking a serious note of the matter through media reports, the Commission observed that the contents, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the girl and indicate towards gross negligence of the police personnel.

It appears that the girl was pleading for help but the matter was not properly handled by them, NHRC said in a statement.

"It has issued a notice to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi calling for a detailed report in the matter. He is expected to submit the report including the inquest and post mortem examination reports as well as the cause of death within six weeks," the NHRC said.

"The Commission would also like to know why there were no woman police personnel available at the police station," it added.

According to reports, the 17-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide in the west Delhi police post as she was afraid of her family members who were against her friendship with a 21-year-old man who lived in her neighbourhood.

On July 14, as the girl's brother returned home and did not find her there, he went to the man's house and accused his family of hiding the teenager. A quarrel ensued between the families and police were called.

Six to seven people were taken to a hospital while the two families were taken to the police post where the girl arrived at around 2.30am and told the police that she did not want to return home. There was no woman police personnel present there at the time.

Reportedly, the officers on duty decided to send the girl to a Nari Niketan or woman's shelter but before they could do that, she hung herself in one of the rooms of the police station, the statement said.

The family members of the girl alleged that they were locked up in a room at the police station while the girl was sent to a different room. According to the victim's brother, when he peeped through the window, he saw his sister's body hanging from a ceiling fan.

"He has stated that her feet were touching the floor hence it was not possible that she had hung herself," the commission said.