NHRC Issues Notice To Kerala Government Over Media Reports Of Girls Missing From Shelter Homes In Kottayam

The National Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Kerala over the incidents of missing girls from a shelter home at Manganam in Kottyam.

The Commission has observed that this is the 3rd such incident reported from Kottyam in recent months.

The press release by NHRC read thus "The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that nine girls went missing from a shelter home at Manganam in Kottyam, Kerala. Reportedly, when traced by the police at the residence of one of the inmates, the girls resisted their return back to the shelter home. This is 3rd such incident reported from Kottyam in recent months."

The Commission, going by the contents of the media reports, said that it appeared that there is a lack of supervision and effective monitoring of the shelter home, run by an NGO, Mahila Samakhya.

It further added that there is a prima facie possibility of some kind of inhuman and undignified treatment being meted out to these girls forcing them to leave it.

The Commission issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Kerala, calling for a report of the incident along with the action taken report.

A notice was also issued to the Director General of Police, Kerala regarding the status of the case registered for missing girls from Manganam in Kottayam and arrest, if any.

The Commission has directed that the report must also contain the status of the implementation of the SOP for Combating Trafficking of Persons in India, issued by the Commission in the year 2017 to prevent trafficking within the State of the vulnerable sections of society.

The press release by NHRC also read thus "…the Commission, considering that the incidents of missing girls happening repeatedly in Kottayam, has asked it's Special Rapporteur, Mr. Hari Sena Verma to visit Kottayam and submit within two months a report, including the facts related to the instant case also. He is also expected to suggest measures to avoid such incidents in the future."

The National Human Rights Commission, India has been set up by an Act of Parliament under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 for the protection and promotion of human rights.

The functions of the Commission apart from enquiry into complaints of violation of human rights or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant, the Commission also studies treaties and international instruments on human rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation to the Government.