Kendrapada: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has requested a thorough report within two weeks regarding the alleged rape of a minor girl and her subsequent delivery outside a government hospital in Kandhamal district.
In addition, the NHRC is broadening its inquiry to assess the accessibility of essential public healthcare services across the nation. This action follows a complaint lodged by Sagar Kumar Jena, a human rights advocate from Kendrapada, who claimed that a minor rape survivor was forced to give birth outside a government facility due to being denied admission.
The complaint indicated that while the accused was apprehended after social workers intervened, no measures were taken against the healthcare providers involved. Furthermore, it was alleged that the victim and her family did not receive any relief or compensation.
In response to the complaint, the NHRC had previously instructed the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police in Kandhamal to investigate and report back. According to a report submitted on October 9, 2025, the Collector informed the Commission that police had registered a case and arrested the alleged offender.
However, the victim later married the accused, and they began living together. The absence of testimony from the victim and her parents during the trial led to the acquittal of the accused by the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Kandhamal, resulting in no compensation for the victim. The Collector’s report also addressed allegations against the medical staff, stating that the victim arrived at Bamuniga Primary Health Centre to deliver on April 1, 2025.
Due to a lack of available beds and delays in ambulance services, the delivery occurred outside the hospital. After reviewing the report on Friday, the NHRC ordered that a copy of the inquiry findings be sent to the complainant and requested feedback within two weeks.
The Commission noted that if no response is received within the specified timeframe, they would proceed based on the existing records. This case has underscored more extensive systemic issues related to hospital bed availability, ambulance services, and access to primary healthcare.
Emphasizing that healthcare is a fundamental right, the NHRC directed all States, Union Territories, and the Union Government to provide information regarding the availability of free hospital beds, ambulance services, and healthcare infrastructure, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs), polyclinics, and dispensaries at various administrative levels.
So far, reports have only been obtained from Odisha, Haryana, and Punjab. The Commission has tasked its Registry with acquiring the remaining reports from other States and Union Territories by August 17, 2026.
The case will be revisited for further proceedings after the complainant submits his feedback and the outstanding reports are collected.
