New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) The NHRC has sought a report within two weeks from the Jharkhand government and the district police chief over the death of a 19-year-old woman inmate of a remand home in the Charki Pahadi area of the Deoghar district earlier this month, an official said.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of a media report about the death of a 19-year-old female inmate on May 2, allegedly under suspicious circumstances. The cause of her death is yet to be ascertained.

The NHRC observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights.

It issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, and the Superintendent of Police, Deogarh, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

According to the media report, carried on May 4, when the inmate’s condition suddenly deteriorated, the Remand Home staff rushed her to the Deoghar Sadar Hospital, where she died during treatment.

Reportedly, five inmates of this Remand Home have died since January 1 2026, raising questions about its security and arrangements, said a statement.

In a separate case, the Commission took suo motu cognisance of a media report that two sanitation workers died while cleaning a sewer at the Puri Pranayam Society in Greater Faridabad, Haryana, on May 2.

The report said that the workers had entered a manhole on the directions of the Estate Manager of the building without being provided any protective gear or gas masks.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, and the Commissioner of Police, Faridabad, Haryana, calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the investigation and compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased persons.

Issuing the notices, the Commission has noted with concern that despite guidelines issued by the Supreme Court and the NHRC advisory emphasising the use of mechanised cleaning of sewers with adequate safety gear to the sanitation workers, such incidents continue to occur frequently in the country.

–IANS

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