The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary and district magistrates of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli on reports of children's death due to cold in relief camps.
"NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that at least 40 children died in riot relief camps due to extreme cold," the commission said in a statement.
"It is also reported that there were not enough blankets for inmates of these camps, resulting in the death of infants and young children in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar districts," the statement added.
The commission also said that the contents of the press reports, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of infants and children.