The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Tuesday asked Odisha Government to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation each to the next of kin of Dubeswar Naik and his wife Budi Naik, who had allegedly been killed by security personnel during an anti-Maoist operation on July 26, 2015 in the Mgaduda Reserve Forest in Kandhamal district.
The right panel’s working Chairperson Justice BK Mishra gave the direction while hearing a petition regarding the incident.
The tribal couple sustained bullet injuries and died on the spot while they had gone to the hilltop (Trapa mountain) to talk to their son over phone due to lack of connectivity at their village on the night of July 26, 2015.
Their son Rahul was staying somewhere in Kerala then.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Southern Division had submitted his findings to the administration after an inquiry into the incident.
The OHRC observed that whatever has been paid to the next of kin of the deceased persons by the State Government appears to be not adequate; and, hence, Rs 5 lakh be paid to each of the kin of the deceased.
Justice Mishra wanted that this order be communicated to the Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department for compliance of the recommendations of the OHRC within two months.