Ragging, atrocities on women, rights body seek report

Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has taken a suo motu cognizance of three recent incidents reported in local newspapers, expressing grave concern over the alleged human rights violations and directing comprehensive inquiries by authorities.

In the first incident, the Commission noted a report on October 26, highlighting a ragging case at Tripura Medical College (TMC) in Hapania. The report indicated that 12 students were involved in ragging, allegedly resulting in a disruptive environment within the institution.

Following the report, the Commission emphasized that ragging not only constitutes a criminal offence but also infringes on the human rights of students, warranting immediate action under the Tripura Educational Institutions (Prevention of Ragging) Act, 1990.

Meanwhile, acknowledging the college administration's apparent inability to prevent such behaviour, the Commission ordered the Principal of TMC to submit a detailed report on the incident within three weeks. Additionally, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of West Tripura were tasked with conducting independent inquiries and reporting their findings within the same timeframe.

In the second case, the Tripura Human Rights Commission responded to reports of a shocking incident in which a woman was publicly molested, as detailed in news articles from several local newspapers and channels dated October 30. According to these reports, the woman was harassed in a public setting, an act that has deeply disturbed the Commission, as such incidents not only degrade the victim's dignity but also breach fundamental human rights.

The Commission pointed out that acts of public molestation severely undermine the safety of women and emphasized the state’s responsibility to protect women’s rights, as outlined by the Supreme Court’s observations in similar cases such as Gurmeet Singh.

This distressing violation of rights prompted the Commission to direct the Director General of Police (DGP) to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation, mandating a report on the findings within three weeks.

The third incident, which was also reported on October 30, involved alleged interference in the personal lives of two consenting adults by local leaders also known as "matabbar." According to the report, the leaders reportedly disregarded legal boundaries, exercising authority over the private lives of individuals.

Although the matter was reportedly brought to the attention of the police, the response was viewed as inadequate. The Commission ordered the DGP to investigate the circumstances, seeking a report within two weeks on the local leaders’ involvement and the police’s response to the allegations.