NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of fire at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that eight patients died and three others were critically injured in a fire at the trauma centre ICU of the government-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Rajasthan’s Jaipur.

According to the press report, carried on October 6, 18 patients were admitted to the ICU and semi-ICU wards of the hospital when the fire broke out. The blaze and toxic smoke reportedly hampered rescue operations.

The incident at Jaipur’s largest hospital has raised serious questions about administrative preparedness and the state’s health infrastructure.

The Rajasthan government has directed the formation of a high-level investigation committee. Taking note of the incident, the NHRC observed that the contents of the report, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations of the victims.

The apex human rights body has issued notices to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the victims.

Established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC, an autonomous statutory body, is an embodiment of India's concern for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Its primary role is to protect and promote human rights, defined as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of individuals guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in international covenants and enforceable by courts in India.

The apex human rights body has the power to take suo motu (on its own motion) action based on media reports, public knowledge or other sources, without receiving a formal complaint of human rights violations.