New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Union Health Ministry, the Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, and the Commissioner of Police, Bhopal, over allegations that an assistant professor at the institute died due to severe mental harassment and a toxic work environment.
A Bench presided by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo took cognisance of a complaint alleging that the doctor died on January 5, following prolonged mental harassment allegedly caused by the “toxic” work culture in the Trauma and Emergency Medicine department at AIIMS Bhopal.
According to the complaint, the victim had sent three emails expressing distress before her death, but the institute administration allegedly failed to take action.
It was further alleged that institutional negligence occurred as no FIR was registered, and previous complaints by other female doctors were suppressed.
The complainant sought the NHRC’s intervention and requested a high-level independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death, along with accountability of those responsible and registration of an FIR in the matter.
Observing that the allegations, if true, prima facie indicate violations of the human rights of the victim, the apex human rights body issued the notice under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
It has directed the Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to inquire into the allegations.
The NHRC has also asked the Bhopal Police Commissioner and the Director of AIIMS Bhopal to conduct an inquiry and furnish copies of the FIR, post-mortem report, and other relevant documents in the case.
Further, the authorities have been directed to provide details of the institute’s POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Committee, including the criteria for selection of its members, statements of committee members, and details of its activities in the past year.
They have also been asked to submit copies of complaints received in the last three years, including those filed by the victim, along with the action taken reports and statements of former employees or doctors mentioned in the complaint.
The NHRC has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the concerned authorities within 15 days for its perusal.
--IANS
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