The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to the UP government over 55 children sustaining burns after a high-tension wire fell in a primary school in Balrampur on Monday.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that 55 children suffered burns in the incident in Utraula tehsil of Balrampur on Monday, the NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary and chairman of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited calling for a detailed report within four weeks. There were at least 100 children in the school when the tragedy struck.

An NHRC communiqué released on Tuesday evening said that the contents of news reports, if true, raised serious issues of human rights violation. The commission sought to know about the status of medical treatment provided to the injured students along with steps taken by the authorities to prevent such incidents.

The commission said the state government was expected to inform it about the status of relief provided to the victims. The NHRC further observed that the incident portrayed irresponsible and negligent attitude of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam authorities. The commission said preventive steps should have been taken by the school authorities if the 11,000 KV high-tension line was passing above the building.

“Authorities concerned cannot escape their liability to ensure safety of students in the school. A large number of people have sustained grievous injuries and lost lives due to electrocution, weak and old electricity wires, dilapidated electric poles and faulty transformers etc in Uttar Pradesh,” the commission said.

As per media reports, the District Magistrate of Balrampur terminated the services of a contractual lineman and placed a skilled coolie under suspension. Besides, a departmental inquiry was also recommended against a junior engineer.

The reports further sasid that the Chief Minister had asked the managing director of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited to ascertain the cause of mishap and submit a report within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Balrampur incident, Basic Education Minister Anupma Jaiswal said that the network of wires over school buildings in the state would be removed to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Jaiswal, who visited Naya Nagar Vishnupur area where the incident occured on Monday, said that the Chief Minister had taken a serious note of the matter and directed the officials to take preventive measures.

Jaiswal also visited the injured students and assured parents of proper medical care.