NHRC takes cognisance of alleged sexual exploitation of two female teachers

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a case involving the alleged sexual exploitation of two female teachers at a private school in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. According to a PIB report, serious allegations of sexual exploitation have been made against the brother of the school owner.

The Commission has issued notices to the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police of Aligarh, ordering them to submit a detailed report on the entire incident within the next two weeks. The NHRC initiated this action based on a media report which stated that two women teachers working in a private school had been sexually harassed.

According to the report, one teacher alleged that the brother of the school owner had sexually exploited her for a long period. When she resisted these acts, she was threatened with termination from her job. Another teacher faced similar harassment and was terminated from her job when she protested.

The National Human Rights Commission has clarified that if the claims made in the media report are true, it is an extremely serious case of human rights violation. According to a media report dated 3 November 2026, no appropriate action was taken by the school management on the complaints of the victims. For this reason, the victims have contacted the Senior Superintendent of Police to demand legal action.

Apart from this incident, the NHRC has also taken cognisance of a tragic event in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. On 2 November 2026, a 12-year-old student of the fourth grade at a government primary school died. The student came into contact with an 11 kV (kilovolt) power line passing near the roof of the school building. Allegedly, teachers had asked him to climb the kitchen roof to pluck 'lauki' (bottle gourd) for the mid-day meal.

In this matter, the Commission has issued notices to the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), the District Magistrate of Ballia, and the Superintendent of Police, seeking a report within two weeks. According to a report dated 3 November 2026, two teachers of the school have been suspended following the incident, and a recommendation has been made to terminate the services of one Shiksha Mitra.

On another front, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Meta India on the direction of the NHRC. According to reports by Amar Ujala and India Today, this case is related to the availability of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). NHRC member Priyank Kanojia shared this information on the social media platform X.

Investigations have revealed that paid advertisements using objectionable keywords were being run on Meta's platforms, including Instagram, which led users to external messaging channels where illegal content was being commercialised. The Commission has viewed Meta not merely as a passive intermediary but as an active publisher of paid content, which may constitute a violation under the POCSO Act.