New Delhi, Jan 2 (FN Agency) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday said it has issued notices to Delhi Chief Secretary and the Director General of Prisons over the reported sexual assault of a prisoner by the fellow inmates in the Tihar Jail, calling for a detailed report within four weeks. The Commission said it has issued the notices after it took suo motu cognizance of media reports, carried on December 30 that a 22 year old prisoner was allegedly sexually assaulted by the fellow inmates in the Tihar Jail of Delhi. Reportedly, the prisoner is under medical treatment. The Commission observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to violation of rights related to life and dignity of the victim prisoner. The reports should include the present health status of the victim prisoner, action taken against the erring officers and the accused fellow inmates as well as the steps taken and proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future, the Rights body said in a statement.
The Commission also decided to send its own team for an on the spot enquiry in the matter. The NHRC further observed that it has issued several guidelines, advisories and recommendations in the past to improve many aspects of prison administration but it appears that there is no perceptible change in the living conditions of the inmates in the Tihar jail since intermittently, incidents of various types of their human rights violations including harassment, torture and sexual abuse are being reported and complained about.