NHRC Bihar Open Hearing Orders Relief Exceeding Rs 1 Crore

Victims of human rights abuses in Bihar received over Rs 1 crore in immediate financial relief following a two-day camp sitting by the National Human Rights Commission in Patna. The commission closed 29 cases after verifying state compliance, while reviewing more than 70 complaints spanning custodial deaths, bonded labour, and police inaction.

The commission took a strict stance on institutional negligence, ordering an on-the-spot investigation by its Director General of Investigation into multi-generational bonded labour. In custody death matters where inquiries revealed medical and administrative lapses, the bench recommended Rs 45 lakh in cumulative relief across seven cases. Bihar's Director General of Police was also instructed to establish a Special Investigation Team and round-the-clock protection for a threatened female complainant.

State authorities faced sharp scrutiny over systemic administrative delays. During formal reviews with Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and senior police leadership, the bench flagged chronic delays in submitting magisterial reports, gaps in child labour rescue protocols, and deaths linked to the state's prohibition enforcement.

Civil society organizations and human rights defenders secured commitments for improved coordination channels directly with the commission. The sitting delivers immediate financial redress to affected families while signaling heightened regulatory oversight over district magistrates and correctional facilities.