By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that an elderly woman passed away suffering 12 years of social boycott and even then, the villagers did not extend support to her daughter in conducting her last rites in Mahuldiha Village, Sundargarh district, Odisha. Eventually, her last rites were performed when the administration stepped in and some local NGOs were associated.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise issues of violation of human rights. Therefore, it has issued a notice to the Odisha Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
According to the media report, carried on 11th June 2026, the woman’s family was subjected to social ostracisation for being unable to pay a penalty imposed by the villagers after her daughter had briefly left home with a man from another caste.
