Date: 2025-08-20Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of a girl due to self-immolation in Kendrapara district of Odisha after alleged police inaction against her former male friend threatening to upload her obscene photos on social media
**Summary:**
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report concerning the death of a 19-year-old girl in Kendrapara district, Odisha, who allegedly died by self-immolation on August 6, 2025. The incident reportedly occurred due to alleged police inaction following a complaint filed approximately six months prior by the victim's father. The complaint concerned the girl being blackmailed by a former male friend threatening to upload her obscene photos and videos to social media. The NHRC has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Odisha, requesting a detailed report within two weeks. The report should include the status of the investigation into the alleged police inaction and the blackmail complaint. The NHRC has observed that the reported facts, if substantiated, raise serious concerns regarding human rights violations. The original media report was published on August 7, 2025. This information was released by PIB Delhi on August 20, 2025, at 4:06 PM (Release ID: 2158372).
Key Entities Referenced
National Human Rights Commission NHRC, India: An Indian human rights organization that took suo motu cognizance of the case.
Kendrapara district of Odisha: The district in Odisha where the self-immolation incident occurred.
Director General of Police, Odisha: The head of the police force in Odisha, to whom the NHRC issued a notice.
Odisha: The Indian state where the incident and investigation are taking place.
social media: Platform where the victim's photos were threatened to be uploaded.
FIR: First Information Report; police complaint that was not registered in the case.
National Human Rights Commission
NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the
reported death of a girl due to self-immolation in
Kendrapara district of Odisha after alleged police
inaction against her former male friend threatening to
upload her obscene photos on social media
The Commission issues notice to the State DGP
calling for a detailed report within two weeks,
including status of the investigation
Posted On: 20 AUG 2025 4:06PM by PIB Delhi
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report
that on 6th August, 2025, a 19-year-old girl immolated herself in Odisha's Kendrapara district amid
allegations of police inaction for nearly six months on the complaint about a former male friend blackmailing
her. Reportedly, he was threatening to post her obscene photos and videos on social media.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of
human rights. Therefore, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Odisha, calling for a detailed
report on the matter within two weeks, including the status of the investigation.
According to the media report, carried on 7th August, 2025, the girl was studying at a College in Kendrapara
district. Her father alleged that she was being regularly blackmailed by a former male friend. A complaint in
this regard was given to the police by the father of the victim about six months back, but neither an FIR was
registered nor any action was taken against the alleged perpetrator. Rather, a police officer reportedly
discouraged him from pursuing the matter and suggested blocking the phone number of the blackmailer.
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NSK
(Release ID: 2158372)