NHRC intervenes in alleged assault on minor

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging that a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a bus driver and conductor after she boarded a bus from Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, on August 4. The Commission has issued notices to the Police Commissioners of Delhi and Gautam Budh Nagar, as well as the Superintendent of Police, Mainpuri, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

According to the NHRC, the report is expected to include the status of the investigation and details of any compensation paid to the victim. The Commission said that if the allegations reported in the media are found to be true, they raise serious issues of human rights violations.

The action follows a media report published on August 31 concerning the alleged incident. According to the report, the girl had left her home in Mainpuri to visit her cousin in Sector 63 of Noida. She reportedly missed her stop and got down at Pari Chowk, from where she allegedly boarded another bus after confirming it was travelling towards Sector 63.

The NHRC said the girl was allegedly subjected to sexual assault by the driver and conductor of the bus. The alleged perpetrators also reportedly threatened her with her life before leaving her at the Kashmere Gate Bus Terminal in Delhi.

NHRC member cites broader concerns

Speaking to IANS, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said the incident highlights the horrific nature of the crime. "The incident that has come to light in Delhi, where a rape was committed against a girl inside a moving sleeper coach bus over a distance of nearly 47 kilometers, in itself highlights the horrific nature of the crime," he said. "We have issued notices to both the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments regarding this matter. We have called for an investigation and probe into the incident, and given directives for the rehabilitation of the child."

Kanoongo said the NHRC has been cautioning state governments over the past year that sleeper coach buses have been flouting norms. "It is unfortunate that several state governments have not yet taken effective action regarding this. So, we are again going to speak to all the state governments that cabins, curtains etc. in sleeper buses hamper the safety of passengers and those need to be looked into," he added.

Police details and arrests

According to police, the incident took place near Pari Chowk in Greater Noida on August 4. The survivor alleged in her complaint that the two accused sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she resisted. They later abandoned the girl near Kashmere Gate in Delhi.

The accused, identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep, were arrested from a parking area in Timarpur on the same day.

Related incident

Kanoongo also reacted to the death of a 10-year-old girl after she was allegedly made to stand in the sun as punishment. He mentioned that Section 17 of the Right to Education Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act contain strict provisions prohibiting such actions.