Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 1: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a report alleging that a dead body was partially eaten by rats in the mortuary of Narwana Civil Hospital in Jind, Haryana, and has sought a detailed report from the state government within two weeks, an official said on Monday.

The Commission noted that, reportedly, similar incidents have occurred at the hospital previously, and if verified, such neglect raises serious human rights concerns. A notice has been issued to the Chief Secretary of Haryana to provide a full account of the matter. According to a media report dated November 12, 2025, hospital authorities had requested repairs for the mortuary freezer, but the company responsible had not taken action. As a temporary measure, a mesh has been installed to prevent rats from entering the freezer.

Separately, the NHRC recently addressed a complaint regarding potential design flaws in public transport buses, following the deadly sleeper bus fire on October 14, 2025, on the Jaisalmer–Jodhpur highway in Rajasthan. The complaint highlighted systemic safety lapses, including the separation of the driver’s cabin from the passenger compartment, which hinders timely detection of fires and communication during emergencies.

An inspection by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) revealed violations of mandatory AIS-052 and AIS-119 safety standards, such as the absence of fire suppression systems and poorly designed internal partitions. These standards, developed by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, set structural and fire safety requirements for buses in India.

The NHRC has urged chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories to review bus safety measures, warning that recurring design flaws in public transport vehicles pose a severe risk to passengers’ lives.