Punjab: NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of Patiala infant case

Patiala (Punjab) [India], September 3 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a stray dog was seen carrying the severed head of an infant near the Government Rajindra Hospital in the Patiala district of Punjab on August 26, a release said on Wednesday.
According to the release, "reportedly, the attendants of the patients have alleged that stray dogs are often found roaming freely inside the hospital premises. They have also alleged poor sanitation, lack of security and negligence by the hospital authorities."
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab and the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the media report carried on August 27, 2025, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital has stated that no baby has been found missing from the hospital and in all recent cases of the deaths of children, the bodies were handed over to their families after proper documentation. He has reportedly expressed apprehension that the remains might have been dumped outside the hospital premises by someone.
Earlier, the NHRC had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report stating that on August 27, a portion of a four-storey apartment building collapsed in the Palghar district of Maharashtra's Virar East area, killing 17 people and injuring eight more, according to an official statement released by the commission on Wednesday.
Reportedly, the building was unauthorised and constructed more than a decade back. However, the residents were paying taxes to the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), believing that the building was authorised as per the notarised documents, the statement said. The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.
Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Maharashtra, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, the statement added.
According to the media report, carried on August 28, a senior officer of the VVCMC has stated that the building might have collapsed due to the use of inferior-quality construction material. The residents were sent three notices to vacate the building, but all the warnings were ignored. Reportedly, the building had around 50 flats and half a dozen shops, of which the rear side of the building, comprising around 12 flats, collapsed. (ANI)