Cuttack: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Friday directed the Centre and the state government to pay compensation to the kin of 435 persons who were killed by Maoists in the state during the last eight years.
The apex rights body’s direction came in response to a petition filed by rights activist Subash Chandra Mohapatra. The state and Centre were directed to pay the compensation to the victims’ families within six weeks.
Mohapatra had filed a petition with the NHRC seeking compensation for Deba Sodi and Erama Benjamin of Padia block in Malkangiri district who were killed by Maoists January 25, 2014. The victims’ families are entitled to get `2 lakh compensation from the state government and `3 lakh from the Centre under the central scheme. However, the kin of both the victims were deprived of the compensation so far, the petitioner alleged.
Acting on the petition, the NHRC had issued notice to the Crime Branch. In reply, the CB had informed the rights panel that the compensation was not given to the victims’ families as the latter were non-cooperative.
Mohapatra, however, opposed the CB’s contention and alleged that the CB did not take adequate steps to provide the compensation. Acting on the complaint, the rights body issued a notice to Malkangiri collector and sought clarification as to why compensation was not given to the victims’ families.
The collector in his reply had stated that the state government had already paid `2 lakh compensation each to the family of the deceased while the Centre had not released the amount.
Later, the petition stated that families of the two victims were not alone. Families of as many as 435 people who were killed by Maoist between 2009 and 2017 are deprived of the aid. The rift between the Centre and the state over release of compensation deprived the kin of the victim of the compensation, the petitioner had alleged.
Post News Network
