New Delhi, April 9 The NHRC has issued a notice to the Bihar government and the state's police chief over reports that a school student allegedly accidentally drank illicit liquor, mistaking it for a "soft drink."
The liquor was stored in large quantities in a dilapidated toilet at the boy's school in the Begusarai district.
The incident was reported by the media on April 8.
Since April 5, 2016, Bihar has been a dry state, and the manufacture, sale, and consumption of liquor have been banned, the National Human Rights Commission said on Thursday.
The rights panel said it has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that on April 6, a fourth-grade student "accidentally consumed illicit liquor, mistaking it for a soft drink."
The liquor was stored in large quantities in bottles in a dilapidated toilet at his school in the Siswa area of Begusarai district, the NHRC said in a statement.
The student returned home in an intoxicated state, much to the shock of his family, who then informed the school authorities, and the matter was brought to the attention of the police.
Reportedly, the police seized 23 cartons containing approximately "204 liters of illicit liquor" from the toilet, the NHRC said.
In a separate statement, the rights body said it had also taken suo motu cognizance of another media report that stated that approximately 57 girls fell ill allegedly after consuming food at a hostel in the Memnagar area of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat.
According to the report, carried on April 5, approximately 18 of these girls were admitted to a hospital, while the remaining were kept under medical observation, it said.
The girls complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
The commission has observed that, if true, the content of the news reports raises a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims.
Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Gujarat and the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.