NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of reported sexual assault of 13 female students in alleged fake NCC camp in Tamil Nadu

Krishnagiri: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that 13 female students were sexually assaulted in an alleged fake National Cadet Corps (NCC) camp at a private school in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu during August 5th-9th.

According to an official release, 41 students including 17 girls attended the camp. Allegedly, a political leader convinced the private school authorities that he would get them a unit of the NCC if they could organize a students’ camp. Four other schools in the district also had organized such camps.

The NHRC has also issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report within two weeks.
“The Commission has observed the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims. The victim girls were subjected to abuse by the perpetrator due to the negligence of the school authorities. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report within two weeks. It is expected to include the status of the FIR and the status of the victim’s health and their counselling,” the release from NHRC said.

The Commission has also asked the State authorities to reach out to the students who attended similar camps organized by the same person in the four other schools of the district and find out if anyone was subjected to abuse or ill-treatment. The report should also mention the steps taken/ proposed to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

As per the release, according to the media report, carried on August 20, the matter came to light when one of the victims informed the Principal of the school about the incident during the camp but the staff reportedly tried to hush up the matter till she told her mother who approached the police.