NHRC issues notice to Odisha Government, DGP over two persons beaten up, forced to drink drain water

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) said it has issued notices to the Odisha government and the state’s police chief over reports that two people belonging to the Scheduled Caste were allegedly beaten up and forced to eat grass and drink drain water on suspicion of illegal cattle smuggling in Ganjam district.

Reportedly, their mobile phones were snatched and their heads were also forcibly tonsured by the people belonging to another community, it said.

The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights.

The NHRC has taken “suo motu cognisance of a media report revealing that two persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste were beaten up and forced to eat grass and drink drain water on suspicion of illegally smuggling cattle by some people belonging to other communities in Ganjam district of Odisha on 26th June,” it said in a statement.

Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha, seeking a detailed report in two weeks. The report is expected to include the action taken against the perpetrators and compensation, if any, provided to the victims, it said.