Starvation deaths: NHRC issues notices to Centre, Delhi govt

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi Government over death of three minor sisters due to malnutrition and starvation in Mandawali area of the national capital.

The commission has sought a report in this regard within four weeks.

The three minor sisters were visibly malnourished when they were brought to a hospital. The girls, aged eight, four and two, were brought to the LBS Hospital in Mayur Vihar by their mother on Tuesday.

The hospital authorities later declared them brought dead.

In a statement issued by NHRC, it read as " the commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that three minor sisters (Mansi, eight years, Shika, four years and Parul, two years) allegedly died due to malnutrition and starvation in East Delhi's Mandawali on the July 24 as per the per the preliminary post-mortem report."

"The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India calling for reports in the matter within four two weeks, whereby both the authorities are requested further to submit the status report of Antodhya Yojana," the release added.

The Commission has observed that contents of the media reports, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim children.

Moreover, the National Food Security Act, 2013 has also been enacted to provide food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at an affordable price to all its citizens to live a life with dignity.

"A Medical Board has been formed to re-conduct the post-mortem and to confirm the exact cause of death. A Magisterial Enquiry has been ordered in the matter. It is further reported that the mother of the victim children is suffering from mental health issues and their father is untraceable," the presser further read. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI