NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of Hyderabad’s Raidurgam case

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sought a report from Telangana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police on the death of a ‘surrogate mother’ in Raidurg, Hyderabad. File

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance the Rairdurgam case involving a death of a ‘surrogate mother’ and sought a detailed action report from Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari and the Telangana Director General of Police Jitender within two weeks. This followed a media report on the incident on Thursday (November 28, 2024)

In a notice sent to the officials, the commission also sought information on the complaints regarding harassment of women in the name of surrogacy in the State.

“The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victim woman. It has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Telangana calling for a detailed report including the status of the FIR registered in the matter within two weeks,” the NHRC said.

The 26-year-old woman from Odisha tried to escape from a residence through balcony when she slipped and died while allegedly trying to escape sexual harassment by a man on November 26, 2024. She was purportedly brought to the city through middlemen for surrogacy under a deal with her husband, according to initial police reports.