Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports about suspected death of an acid attack victim in Vaishali, Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) today directed the Superintendent of Police concerned to file a detailed report in this regard within a fortnight.
A 19-year old girl, victim of acid attack in 2014, yesterday died under mysterious circumstances allegedly following electrocution at Anwarpur village of Vaishali district, media reports said.
The reports further stated the police recovered the girl's body with one of her hands tangled in an electric wire and quoted the girl's father's claim that his daughter had committed suicide by touching a live wire after she lost hope in life in the wake of acid burn incident.
"The SP, Vaishali will file a detailed report about the present episode informing whether the accused were granted bail due to any failure on the part of the police," BHRC member Neelmani said in his order asking the SP to file the report by July 20, the next date of hearing into the matter.
"It is a matter of probe as whether or not the girl committed suicide. For this, the Commission has sought a detailed report from the SP," Neelmani said.
The SP would also inform the Commission as whether any subsequent threats by the accused, now on bail, were reported to the police and the consequent police response.
In his order, Neelmani said media reports indicated that the girl was living in "extreme depression and mental agony" since the incident took place on September 24, 2014 when three miscreants of her village threw acid on her face after she resisted eve teasing bid by them.
The Commission also wanted to know from the SP as whether or not the compensation has been paid to the victim.
"Whether compensation of Rs Three lakh was paid to the victim, by the Legal Services Authority, in terms of the Victim Compensation Scheme, 2014 notified by the Bihar government," it said.
It also pointed out that the scheme provides for payment of Rs three lakh to the acid attack victims as after-care and rehabilitation measure.
