By PTI
NEW DELHI: The NCPCR has asked authorities in Dhubri and Kokrajhar in Assam to visit camps housing children who reportedly fled post-poll violence in West Bengal and submit a report detailing their number and atrocities faced by them for necessary action.
In its letter, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the apex child rights body, has asked the district magistrates to record statements of the children and file zero FIRs in all such cases where atrocities against them have been reported.
The apex child rights body said it has taken cognizance of various media reports and information provided by certain individuals, whose identities have been kept confidential, regarding the plight of several children along with their families who have been subjected to alleged violence, torture and atrocities “by certain individuals or political party workers in West Bengal.”
“It has been reported that due to fear and threat to their lives, the children have fled from Cooch Behar district of West Bengal to villages of Assam in Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts. In Kokrajhar district, these children are reportedly staying in camps in Srirampur.
¨In this regard, you are requested to immediately visit the said camps and any other such place where these children are residing in Kokrajhar district, to ascertain their exact numbers and other associated facts related to the atrocities faced by these children in West Bengal,” the letter to the Kokrajhar DM stated.
In its letter to Dhubri DM, the NCPCR said around 18 children are staying at the Ranpagli High School Camp while five children are at the Tamarhat Girls High School Camp (Pokalagi village).
In both the letters, the Commission has said the statements of all these children should be recorded by a child welfare police officer of the district (CWPO), and it should be submitted to the Commission for further necessary action.
“It is requested that the police may file zero FIRs in all such cases where atrocities against these children have been reported.
The said investigation may be completed within three days from the receipt of this letter and an action taken report be shared with the Commission accordingly,” it said.
Both the NCPCR and the National Commission for Women have taken suo moto cognizance of the post-poll violence in West Bengal.
The polls were won comprehensively by the ruling TMC.
