(From left) NHRC member Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, NHRC chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, NHRC member Vijaya Bharathi Sayani and Telangana Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice Shameem Akhter on the second day of the two-day camp in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the State government to investigate reports of over 800 children falling ill due to suspected food poisoning in Telangana’s residential schools and submit a detailed report. The issue came to the fore during NHRC’s two-day camp sitting in Hyderabad, where it took up over 100 human rights cases specific to the State.
Addressing the media after the conclusion of the hearings on Tuesday, NHRC chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian said the Commission has taken serious note of the poisoning cases and sought an explanation from senior government officials during a closed-door interaction held on Monday morning.
“It has come to our attention that around 48 student deaths involving 886 incidents of food poisoning in gurukul schools across Telangana have occurred. The officials informed us that action has already been taken, and some contractors have been suspended or blacklisted. We have asked them to submit status reports within four weeks so that the Commission can monitor the follow-up,” he said.
The Commission’s Hyderabad ‘open sitting’, held at Dr. MCR Human Resource Development Institute here, saw two benches taking up a total of 109 cases over the two-day period. The commission has closed 29 cases on merit after hearing both the parties.
He added that regardless of how the prosecution proceeds, the NHRC believes the very act of arresting and detaining a minor in an adult jail for such an extended period is deeply troubling. “As a result, we decided to award compensation of ₹2 lakh to the juvenile’s family,” he added.
Data shared by the NHRC indicates that Telangana currently has 780 pending human rights complaints before the Commission, out of a national total of 34,685. This includes four police custody deaths and 30 judicial custody deaths.
He also revealed a steady rise in suo motu cases taken up by the Commission based on media or social media reports. “In 2021, we took up just 17 such cases. In 2023, the number jumped to 117. This year, we have already crossed 50. We monitor newspapers and social media posts very closely. Even a small local report can trigger an inquiry,” he said.
The Commission also met with grassroots organisations and human rights defenders, who offered first-hand accounts of discrimination and neglect.
Published – July 30, 2025 02:45 on is
