The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued conditional summons to the District Collectors of Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri over their failure to submit enquiry reports in connection with the 2021 death of a 14-year-old disabled girl who was under institutional care at a home in Telangana.
The action follows a petition filed by Hyderabad-based NGO watchdog Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), which approached the NHRC seeking an independent inquiry or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death and her unauthorised transfer between facilities.
The NHRC had taken up the petition in February 2026 and subsequently issued notices to the two District Collectors in February and March, directing them to submit Action Taken Reports. Despite the notices and a subsequent reminder, the required reports were not submitted.
It has recently come to our notice that, in the year 2021, a 14-year-old disabled minor girl under institutional care was shifted from ‘Home for Disabled’, Jeera, Secunderabad to a unit in Shamirpet without permission of the Child Welfare Committee, where she later died under… https://t.co/IjGzvcBbO6 pic.twitter.com/anC7rMJYYg
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) February 16, 2026
Taking note of the continued non-compliance, the NHRC Bench presided over by its Member, Priyank Kanoongo, issued conditional summons under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The Hyderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri District Collectors have been directed to appear before the NHRC at 11:30 AM on 22 October 2026, along with the requisite enquiry reports. Their personal appearance will be dispensed with if the reports are submitted by October 15.
What Happened In 2021?
The case dates back to June 2021, when 14-year-old Jahnavi, who was under institutional care, died in circumstances that were described as suspicious in a complaint filed by the then Chairperson of the Hyderabad District Child Welfare Committee (CWC), G. Shailaja.
According to the FIR copy obtained by LRPF, Jahnavi was initially sheltered at MV Foundation in Hyderabad. On March 17, 2021, the District CWC shifted her to Home for Disabled at Jeera, Secunderabad.
She was subsequently shifted from the Secunderabad facility to another unit of Home for Disabled at Somanbolle Village in Shamirpet, Medchal-Malkajgiri district. The complaint alleged that the transfer was carried out without following the prescribed procedure and without informing the concerned Child Welfare Committees.
After receiving information about Jahnavi’s death, Shailaja and another CWC member visited the Jeera facility on June 7, 2021. According to the complaint, Jahnavi had died at the Shamirpet facility under suspicious circumstances.
The complaint further alleged that her body was subsequently taken to Bhoiguda in Secunderabad and cremated without informing the CWC or police authorities about the death.
It also stated that the organisers failed to produce the girl’s health records when the CWC members inspected the facility.
The manner of disposal of the body was also questioned in the complaint. It alleged that the body was cremated on a funeral pyre instead of being buried in accordance with customary Christian practice, raising concerns over whether crucial evidence could have been lost and whether a further post-mortem examination was prevented.
Based on the CWC Chairperson’s complaint, Gandhinagar Police Station registered Zero FIR No. 01/2021 on June 7, 2021, under Section 176(1)(A) of the Cr.P.C. The case was subsequently transferred to Shamirpet Police Station under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate for further investigation.
FCRA Registration Under Scrutiny
The case has also brought the regulatory status of Home for Disabled under scrutiny.
According to NGO Darpan records cited by LRPF, Home for the Disabled is registered as a society bearing Registration No. 197-42 of 1942. LRPF has also stated that the organisation is registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, allowing it to receive foreign contributions.
Despite the 2021 death and the circumstances recorded in the FIR, LRPF has pointed out that the organisation’s FCRA registration was renewed in 2022 and remains valid until 2027.
The development has prompted questions from LRPF over whether the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death were adequately examined by the relevant authorities and whether appropriate regulatory oversight was exercised.
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋’𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐀𝐓 𝐅𝐂𝐑𝐀-𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃 ‘𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐃’, 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐃: 𝐍𝐇𝐑𝐂 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐘𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐃 & 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋-𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐀𝐉𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒… https://t.co/dkHWWrlSbI pic.twitter.com/jvb52dhHK5
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) September 23, 2026
LRPF subsequently approached the NHRC seeking an independent inquiry or SIT probe into the girl’s unauthorised transfer and death, action against those responsible, and an examination of the alleged administrative and regulatory lapses.
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