NHRC intervenes in assault on woman in Andhra Pradesh over husband's unpaid loan

New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing media report involving the public assault of a woman by a moneylender in Narayanapuram village, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.
The incident, which occurred on June 16 , reportedly saw the woman tied to a tree and brutally beaten in full view of villagers--punished for her husband's failure to repay a long-standing debt.
NHRC stated that according to the media account published on June 17, the woman's husband had borrowed Rs 80,000 from a local moneylender nearly three years ago.
Over time, he is said to have incurred additional debts from other villagers. With repayment overdue and mounting pressure, he allegedly fled the village, abandoning his wife and three children.
Left to fend for the family alone, the woman has since worked as a daily wage laborer and has been steadily repaying the debts in small installments. However, this failed to appease the moneylender, who resorted to public violence to settle the outstanding dues.
The NHRC has deemed the reported incident a grave violation of human rights and human dignity.
In response, it has issued formal notices to both the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, seeking a comprehensive report on the matter within two weeks.
The Commission has expressed deep concern over the law enforcement's role and the need for protection of vulnerable citizens against such extrajudicial acts. (ANI)