The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the incident at Pathanamthitta where the district police made two minor accused in a murder case dig out the body of the deceased.
The incident pertains to the murder of a 16-year-old boy in Pathanamthitta on Tuesday. Two teenage boys who had earlier studied with the deceased boy are accused in the case.
According to the police, the Class 10 boy was hit with a stone allegedly by the two boys and then stabbed with an axe. The body was then buried in the rubber plantation where he was murdered.
“Though the two minors are accused in the case, it was culture-less to make the children dig out the buried body,” the Child Rights Commission observed.
The child rights panel also said that the video of children digging the body out went viral on social media.
“To make sure that such things do not happen, officials concerned should take actions that set an example,” a statement from the Commission said.
The Commission has sought a report on the matter from Pathanamthitta district police chief, the district collector, the state police chief and the district child protection officer.
Reacting to the incident, Pathanamthitta district police chief KG Simon told TNM that he has asked Adoor Deputy Commissioner of Police to probe into the issue and file a report.
Meanwhile, in another incident, the KSCPCR took suo motu cognisance against officials of Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League, for making children participate in a protest holding fire torches at Kondotti in Malappuram.
“The direction exists that people should stay at homes and should maintain social distancing. As part of this, prohibitory orders are there in many places. It is from one such place that social media reports of children being made to participate in a protest in the scorching sun have emerged,” the Commission said.
The Commission remarked that it is a grave fault to force children to participate in an unlawful activity. A report on the matter has been sought from Malappuram district police chief, district collector, state police chief and Malappuram child protection officer.
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