(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that an Imam allegedly sexually abused a 7-year-old boy at a mosque in the Jhabreda area of Uttarakhand's Roorkee last week.

According to the Press report, the boy had gone to the mosque for religious studies when the perpetrator allegedly took him to his room by force and committed the heinous act.

The Imam also threatened the child with dire consequences if he disclosed the incident to anyone.

The report further mentioned that the victim narrated the incident to his family members after returning home, following which the matter came to light.

Taking note of the news item, the apex human rights body observed that the contents, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations.

The NHRC has issued notices to the Roorkee District Magistrate and District Superintendent of Police, seeking a detailed report on the incident within two weeks.

The Uttarakhand Police registered a criminal case against the accused under the relevant Sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and took him into custody.

As per SP (Rural) S.C. Suyal, the perpetrator was produced before the local court, from where he was sent to judicial custody.

Established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC, an autonomous statutory body, is an embodiment of India's concern for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Its primary role is to protect and promote human rights, defined as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of individuals guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India.

The apex human rights body has the power to take suo motu (on its own motion) action based on media reports, public knowledge or other sources, without receiving a formal complaint of human rights violations.

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