NHRC notices Himachal, Jharkhand govts over TB outbreak and remand home death
Synopsis
The NHRC has simultaneously called out two state governments — Himachal Pradesh over 19 nursing students allegedly contracting TB in a hostel where inspectors had already flagged dangerous conditions, and Jharkhand over a remand home where five inmates have reportedly died since January 2026. Both cases point to a pattern of institutional neglect that the state machinery failed to address despite prior warnings.
Key Takeaways
The NHRC issued notices to Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand governments on 7 May 2025 , seeking reports within two weeks .
19 women nursing students at a Shimla hostel allegedly contracted tuberculosis despite two prior inspections on 31 March and 17 April flagging sanitation failures.
Students were reportedly denied rest during illness and forced to work as hospital staff on holidays.
A 19-year-old female inmate died under allegedly suspicious circumstances on 2 May at a remand home in Deoghar, Jharkhand .
Reportedly, five inmates of the same remand home have died since 1 January 2026 .
Notices were sent to the Chief Secretaries of both states and the Superintendent of Police, Deoghar .
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 7 May 2025 issued notices to the governments of Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, seeking detailed reports within two weeks over separate incidents — the alleged contraction of tuberculosis by 19 women nursing students in a Shimla hostel, and the suspicious death of a 19-year-old female inmate at a remand home in Deoghar. Both cases were taken up suo motu by the Commission based on media reports, with the NHRC observing that the contents, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations.
TB Outbreak at Shimla Nursing College Hostel
According to the NHRC, a media report dated 2 May highlighted that 19 women students at the hostel of a nursing college in Shimla reportedly contracted tuberculosis. Two inspections of the premises — conducted on 31 March and 17 April — had flagged serious deficiencies in hostel management, including poor sanitation, overcrowded and damp living conditions, and inadequate food quality. Despite these findings, authorities reportedly took no corrective action.
The NHRC statement noted that students were allegedly denied rest during illness and were reportedly compelled to work as hospital staff even on holidays. The Commission issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh, calling for a full account of the situation within two weeks.
Institutional Failures Flagged
The inspection reports cited in the media coverage pointed to systemic failures: overcrowding, dampness, and unhygienic conditions that are widely recognised as risk factors for airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. Notably, the fact that two separate inspections had already documented these deficiencies — without any remedial action — makes the alleged TB outbreak particularly troubling. This is not a case of an undetected problem; it is, according to the media report, a case of a known problem left unaddressed.
India carries one of the world's highest TB burdens, and institutional settings with poor ventilation and overcrowding are considered high-risk environments. The Centre has set a target to eliminate TB by 2025, making institutional outbreaks especially sensitive.
Remand Home Death in Deoghar, Jharkhand
In a separate matter, the NHRC took suo motu cognizance of a media report dated 4 May concerning the death of a 19-year-old female inmate of a remand home in the Charki Pahadi area of Deoghar district, Jharkhand, allegedly under suspicious circumstances on 2 May. The cause of death is yet to be officially ascertained.
According to the media report, when the inmate's condition suddenly deteriorated, remand home staff rushed her to Deoghar Sadar Hospital, where she died during treatment. Notices were issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, and the Superintendent of Police, Deoghar, for a detailed report within two weeks.
Five Inmate Deaths Since January 2026
The media report flagged a deeply concerning pattern: reportedly, five inmates of the same remand home have died since 1 January 2026, raising urgent questions about the security, healthcare arrangements, and overall management of the facility. The NHRC observed that this pattern, if substantiated, constitutes a serious violation of the rights of persons in state custody.
With both notices carrying a two-week deadline, the responses from Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand will be closely watched by rights bodies and civil society organisations tracking institutional accountability in India.
Point of View
Two inspections had already documented the hazardous hostel conditions before students fell ill — making this less an outbreak and more an administrative failure with a predictable outcome. In Deoghar, five remand home deaths in under five months should have triggered a probe long before the NHRC had to step in. The NHRC's suo motu intervention is necessary, but it also underscores a structural problem: human rights enforcement in India remains largely reactive, activated by media reports rather than proactive state monitoring of vulnerable populations in institutional custody.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the NHRC issue a notice to Himachal Pradesh?
The NHRC issued a notice to Himachal Pradesh after a media report alleged that 19 women nursing students contracted tuberculosis at a hostel in Shimla, where two prior inspections had flagged serious sanitation and overcrowding deficiencies that authorities reportedly failed to address. The Commission sought a detailed report from the Chief Secretary within two weeks.
What were the conditions like at the Shimla nursing college hostel?
According to the NHRC statement, the hostel had overcrowded, damp, and unhygienic living conditions with severely inadequate sanitation and poor food quality. Students were reportedly denied rest when ill and allegedly forced to work as hospital staff even on holidays.
What happened at the Deoghar remand home in Jharkhand?
A 19-year-old female inmate died on 2 May allegedly under suspicious circumstances at a remand home in Charki Pahadi, Deoghar district. When her condition deteriorated, staff rushed her to Deoghar Sadar Hospital, where she died during treatment. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
How many inmates have died at the Deoghar remand home in 2026?
According to the media report cited by the NHRC, five inmates of the Deoghar remand home have reportedly died since 1 January 2026, raising serious questions about the facility's security and healthcare arrangements.
What action has the NHRC taken in both cases?
The NHRC took suo motu cognizance of both incidents based on media reports and issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, as well as the Superintendent of Police, Deoghar, calling for detailed reports within two weeks.
