New Delhi, June 19 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report alleging that a 16-year-old boy was illegally confined as an adult inmate in Kasna jail in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Budh Nagar district for more than two months before being shifted to a juvenile home.

Observing that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation, the apex human rights body has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Prisons Administration and Reform Services and the Director General of Police (DGP), seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The NHRC has also directed its Director General (Investigation) to depute a team of officers to conduct a spot enquiry and submit a report within a week.

According to the media report, the victim continues to remain in a juvenile home despite having been granted bail by a court, as his family has been unable to arrange the required surety bond due to financial constraints.

“The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation of the victim,” the NHRC said in a statement.

According to the media report carried on June 16, the boy, a resident of Shahjahanpur district, was arrested and lodged in Kasna jail as an adult inmate despite being a minor.

Reportedly, he was arrested following protests by labourers in the district demanding a pay hike and improved working conditions.

The report stated that the boy received a phone call on April 14, 2026, regarding a parcel in his name. However, when he arrived at the designated location, police personnel present there allegedly arrested him.

An FIR was subsequently registered against him under various serious provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police allegedly assaulted the boy and forced him to sign certain documents, according to the report.

The NHRC noted that even after an ossification test confirmed that he was a minor, it took six more days for authorities to transfer him from Kasna jail to a juvenile home.

–IANS

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