The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has accused the Tamil Nadu government for not cooperating with it in the M Lavanya forced conversion case.
The child rights body, in their statement has mentioned that a team headed by NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanongo will visit Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu on January 30th and 31st to inquire into the suicidal death of the minor girl and the commission will make all arrangements itself for the probe as “the Government of Tamil Nadu is reluctant to extend the necessary facilities/support to the NCPCR team for the said inquiry.”
The NCPCR has also asked the Tamil Nadu government for an explanation in the matter.
“The NCPCR had issued a notice to state DGP on Jan 21 and asked him to submit to a factual report and lodge an FIR based on a statement of the girl and her parents. So far, we haven’t taken any action taken report from the DGP. I am going to Thanjavur to conduct a preliminary probe and meet the parents of the girl. I will also visit the school and take stock of the situation,” said NCPCR chairperson Priynak Kanoongo.
The NCPCR has asked the concerned Superintendent of Police and Investigating Officer to ensure their presence during Kanoongo’s meeting with the parents of the deceased girl.
“NCPCR will be interacting with the classmates of the deceased, meeting/interacting with the Doctor who treated the girl before she died and the doctor who performed Post-mortem of the deceased, meeting with the School authorities and also open to interact with the local populace, willing to interact with the Commission,” the statement mentioned.
In her dying declaration, Lavanya had alleged that her school was pressuring her to convert to Christianity and was torturing her after she refused for conversion
However, the local police have also tried to play down the conversion angle in the case and have mentioned mental torture as the reason behind Lavanya’s suicide in its status report submitted before the court.
Thus, the Commision said it will arrange all the activities by own and it shall be made public through NCPCR Social Media platform.
