NHRC directs TN cops to register case against those who forced kids to pierce their cheeks for Jaya's speedy recovery

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday directed Tamil Nadu police to register a case against those who forced around 20 children in RK Nagar to pierce their cheeks with steel rods as part of the ritual for the speedy recovery of the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa who was undergoing treatment in a hospital last year. It also sought disciplinary action to be taken against the police officers who remained a mute spectator at the event.

The commission's directions have come after the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, confirmed that such incidents took place on October 3, 2016. As part of a ceremony, the children were made to walk from Murgan Temple, RK Nagar, to Seniamman Temple, Manikondu, Tondiarpet. The commission, acting on a complaint, had called for a report from the concerned authorities on November 7, 2016.

NHRC has observed that the children were young and innocent, and that their cheeks were forcibly pierced. "The incident makes it a clear case of violation of human rights," it said.

The NHRC asked the additional commissioner of police for North Chennai to inform it within four weeks about the disciplinary action taken against the erring police officials and also asked the principal secretary (Home), the Tamil Nadu government, to submit a report on steps taken to stop such rituals.

Pointing to the Commissioner's report that the children participated with their parents' approval and they were not forced, NHRC observed that it fails to understand how the consent of the parents, or that of the children for the ritual, could justify the criminal act of piercing children's cheeks with two metre steel rods. It also took exception for letting the erring politic officers who were present at the site of the incident, get away with the simple warning after accepting that the incident was a gross violation of child rights.