New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS): The NHRC Wednesday issued notice to Assam and Nagaland following the discovery of nine highly decomposed bodies in a drain near Nagaland's Dimapur town on the border with Assam earlier this month.

Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) observed that the report, if true, raises serious questions of violation of human rights of the victims.

"We have issued notice to the directors general of police, Nagaland and Assam, and to the Dimapur superintendent of police, calling for reports within four weeks," an NHRC statement said.

According to reports, the bodies were found with eyes blindfolded, hands tied and shot from close range in the heads. They were covered in polythene sheets.

Nagaland Police discovered a mass grave and the nine bodies from Pachaspura area near Dimapur town on the night of Jan 3. All the victims were identified to be from Assam's Karbi Anglong district, mainly from Bokajan subdivision.