NHRC notice to Delhi over sexual assault of blind students

The NHRC has issued notice to the Delhi government and commissioner of police over media reports suggesting that police were yet to register an FIR in a case related to the sexual assault of two blind students.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the case, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a reply from the social welfare department's secretary and the Delhi Police commissioner within two weeks.

According to the commission, the incident occurred Nov 14, 2013 (Children's Day) at the Institution for the Blind in south Delhi's Amar Colony.

The two blind boy students - studying in class 3 and residing in the institution's hostel - were allegedly sexually assaulted by their teacher, who too is visually impaired.

The victims, with the help of their classmates, wrote to the vice principal about the incident but the matter was hushed up by the school authorities. The police too issued a show cause notice to the teacher but did not register a first information report.

"The commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the children," said the NHRC.