NHRC Takes Cognizance of Woman’s Suicide in Hyderabad

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report concerning a woman who allegedly committed suicide due to sexual harassment by a man in the Raidurgam area of Hyderabad, Telangana, on November 27, 2024.

The 25-year-old woman, originally from Odisha, was reportedly brought to the city through middlemen for surrogacy under a deal of Rs 10 lakh with her husband. She was made to stay separately from her husband in a different flat. The NHRC has expressed concern over the violation of the victim’s human rights and issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Telangana, seeking a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. The NHRC also requested information regarding any complaints of harassment related to surrogacy in the state.

According to media reports, the woman called her husband on November 26, expressing her distress over the harassment she was enduring and stating that she intended to end her life. The woman later took her own life, and her husband, who was staying in nearby accommodation with their four-year-old son, was informed of the tragic incident.

The NHRC’s intervention highlights the serious nature of the case and the need for further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suicide and alleged harassment.