India, March 25 -- The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) on Tuesday took suo motu action in a case in which a 89-year-old woman died in a Bhayandar hospital after she was allegedly bitten by a rat.

MSHRC chairperson A M Badar initiated the action based on media reports from March 17 that reported the death of the elderly woman, who was under treatment in the ICU of the Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Hospital in Bhayandar since March 12.

Calling it a "prima facie breach of human rights," the MSHRC called for a report from the principal secretary of the public health department and the hospital dean within six weeks. The registrar of the commission also issued summons to the health secretary and hospital dean on Tuesday seeking thei...