New Delhi, Sep 29: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging the systematic misuse and exploitation of young children, aged between 3 and 12 years, for creating and circulating social media content through an Instagram handle reportedly operated from the Marchra area of Etah district in Uttar Pradesh.

A Bench presided over by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo has issued notices to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah; the District Magistrate, Etah; the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); and the Managing Director and Country Head of Meta India, directing them to submit their respective Action Taken Reports (ATR) within two weeks.

The action was initiated on a complaint filed by Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, alleging that minor children, including those from socially and economically vulnerable backgrounds, were being made to appear in videos containing abusive, derogatory and politically charged expressions.

The complaint alleged that the children were scripted, tutored and prompted to repeat such expressions, following which the videos were uploaded and circulated publicly for digital reach and engagement.

The NHRC observed that the allegations, if established, disclose serious issues concerning the care, protection and dignity of children and their alleged use by adults for the creation, publication and amplification of digital content.

The NHRC directed the Etah SSP to immediately verify the allegations and identify the children appearing in the videos and, wherever warranted, produce them before the competent Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for assessment of their care, protection, safety and well-being.

It also directed that necessary counselling and psychosocial support be provided to the children through the CWC or District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), while strictly protecting their identity and privacy.

The police have been further directed to ascertain the identity of persons operating or controlling the social media handle, recording or creating the videos, scripting or prompting the children, uploading or circulating the content, or otherwise facilitating or benefiting from the activity.

The NHRC said the role, if any, of parents or guardians, tuition or coaching operators and other adults should also be examined.

The apex human rights body directed that the entire digital material be examined and, if commission of any cognisable offence is disclosed, an FIR be registered and investigation undertaken against all persons or entities responsible, including those creating, recording, uploading, circulating or facilitating the content, as well as the concerned social media platform or an intermediary wherever its role or liability is disclosed.

The investigation may involve applicable provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and other applicable laws, the NHRC said.

The SSP was also directed to ensure the immediate preservation and lawful collection of relevant videos, account information, upload records and other digital evidence so that deletion or alteration of online material does not prejudice the investigation.

The District Magistrate has been directed to ensure that the children identified in connection with the alleged content are promptly produced before the CWC, wherever required, and that their safety, care and psychological well-being are assessed.

The DCPU has also been directed to facilitate counselling and psychosocial support and assess the circumstances in which the children were allegedly made to participate in such content.

The NHRC has separately directed Meta India to examine the Instagram handle and material depicting the minor children and submit a report explaining how such content involving repeated use of young children was permitted to be uploaded, repeatedly circulated and remain accessible on the platform.

Meta has also been asked to disclose whether the account or content generated any monetisation, commercial benefit, advertising revenue or other platform-based financial benefit, directly or indirectly.

The social media platform has further been directed to state the action taken to restrict or remove content found violative of applicable law or child-safety policies, while preserving relevant account and content data for lawful investigation.

It has also been asked to preserve and, upon lawful request, furnish relevant account registration particulars, login or access records, IP or device information, upload records and other available digital evidence to the investigating agency.

The NHRC has directed MeitY to examine how children, particularly those stated by the complainant to be from socially and economically vulnerable backgrounds, were reportedly being repeatedly used in such content and how the platform permitted its continued hosting, circulation and amplification.

MeitY has also been asked to examine the platform’s due diligence, child safety and grievance redressal mechanisms and take appropriate action in accordance with law.

The NHRC made it clear that the children appearing in the alleged material are to be treated primarily as children requiring protection and appropriate assessment, and that the investigation should focus on identifying the adults or persons responsible for scripting, creating, uploading, controlling or commercially exploiting such content.

The NHRC also stressed that the identity, dignity and privacy of the children should be protected at every stage of the proceedings.

The SSP, Etah, and the Managing Director and Country Head of Meta India have been directed to submit their respective ATRs, along with supporting documents, within two weeks of receipt of the notice.

New Delhi, Sep 29: A Delhi Police head constable was assaulted by a group of AAP supporters while he was videographing in plain clothes during former Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to Tilak Nagar, sources said on Tuesday.

According to Delhi Police sources, the head constable was recording the proceedings when a group of AAP supporters surrounded him and allegedly assaulted him.

He was subsequently medically examined, and Delhi Police may register an FIR in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Monday visited Tilak Nagar, a day after Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma slapped a youth during an inspection of a newly constructed road in the area. The incident took place in the presence of AAP MLA Jarnail Singh.

Kejriwal, accompanied by Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, Jarnail Singh and other party leaders, inspected the road and questioned the BJP-led Delhi government over its construction.

During the visit, he demonstrated that portions of the newly laid road surface could be pulled apart by hand and alleged irregularities in its construction.

“This road was constructed only a few days ago, yet it is completely coming apart just by hand. We have never seen a road like this being constructed in Delhi. We used to hear about such roads being built in remote villages and areas of the country. Delhi is the national capital. We also led Delhi for 10 years, but a road like this was never constructed during our tenure,” he had said.

Kejriwal said roads constructed under the previous AAP government carried a five-year guarantee and called for an investigation into the alleged irregularities.

“The roads built under the AAP government came with a five-year guarantee. Clearly, there has been a great deal of corruption in this, and there should be an investigation into where this money has gone,” he said.

Referring to Sunday’s incident, Kejriwal said, “When BJP Minister Parvesh Verma came to Tilak Nagar on Sunday to inspect the newly constructed road, people showed him the road in his presence, and he pulled aside a young man, Sahib Singh, and slapped him. I want to tell him that this is not his father’s country.”

Kejriwal demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismiss and arrest Verma and sought an apology from the Delhi Minister. He also called for those allegedly responsible for corruption to be jailed.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Monday filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Verma for allegedly slapping a man during the road inspection. Additionally, an FIR was registered against Jarnail Singh for allegedly obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duty.

Mumbai, Sep 29: Taking advantage of the massive crowds gathered for Ganesh Visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi, gangs of thieves stole mobile phones and gold jewellery from devotees across Mumbai. Police have arrested 18 accused, including two women and a minor, in connection with the thefts, police said on Tuesday.

More than 200 complaints related to lost and stolen mobile phones were received at various police stations during the Ganesh Visarjan celebrations. Police registered official complaints involving 192 lost or stolen mobile phones, while 10 separate cases were filed in connection with the theft of mobile phones and gold chains.

Millions of devotees gathered in areas including Lalbaug, Parel and Girgaon Chowpatty to bid farewell to Lord Ganesha. Police said pickpocketing gangs, comprising both local members and suspects from outside the state, took advantage of the huge crowds during the immersion procession of Lalbaugcha Raja in central Mumbai.

Several devotees reported that their mobile phones had been stolen from their pockets, while gold chains were snatched from their necks. Women’s purses were also targeted during the crowded processions. Preliminary investigations have indicated the involvement of organised gangs in the thefts, with women and minors being used to carry out some of the crimes.

Two women were reportedly caught red-handed with stolen belongings while attempting to steal purses from devotees during the immersion procession, also known as the Mirvanuk.

Following the increase in theft complaints, the Mumbai Police deployed teams of plainclothes personnel along the immersion routes. Suspects were detained and questioned as part of the investigation. So far, police have recovered 14 smartphones and seven gold chains from the accused.

Police are now searching for other alleged accomplices of the arrested suspects and are conducting further investigations to recover the remaining stolen mobile phones and other valuables.

Meanwhile, footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras installed along the Ganesh Visarjan routes in Lalbaug, Chinchpokli, Bharatmata Junction and Girgaon Chowpatty is being examined to identify other suspects and establish their movements.

Police officials said the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell and Technical Analysis Branch are also using the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal to trace stolen mobile phones through their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.