Goa: Commission for Persons with Disabilities issues notices to govt over 7-year-old girl’s death

Panaji, Feb 15 (PTI) The Goa State Commission for Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday sought responses from various authorities over the death of a seven-year-old girl with intellectual disabilities due to burn injuries.

The girl, inmate of a centre for specially-abled children in Old Goa town, died after falling into a tub of scalding hot bathwater on Monday.

The child, who suffered 79 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to a private hospital and then the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital where she died.
The commission took suo-moto (on its own) cognizance of the incident on Wednesday and issued a notice to the St Xavier’s Training cum Production Centre for Children with Disabilities where the incident took place.

Besides, it also sought responses from district magistrate and chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee in North Goa district and inspector of the Old Goa police station.

The commission also asked them to submit action-taken-reports by February 21.
The girl’s death pointed to a violation of section 7 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which says that the protection of persons with disabilities from abuse, aggression and exploitation is the duty of the government, it said.

Old Goa Police has already filed a First Information Report in connection with the case and investigation is on, an official said.