Other States - Orissa

State pays Rs.1 lakh compensation to victim of police action

BHUBANESWAR: The State government finally paid Rs.1 lakh as compensation to Mali Paleka, a tribal lady whose husband Siri Majhi was reportedly killed in a fake encounter, by the State police as well as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

Security personnel had rounded up Siri Majhi in Birubahi village under Rayagada district in the dead night July 7, 2006 suspecting him as a left wing extremist during a combing operation. Before the tribal man could understand anything he was sprayed with bullets.

Later security agencies claimed that they had recovered weapons and literature from the spot from which they had come to a conclusion that the tribal man had extremist connection.

However, Ms. Paleka, widow of Siri Majhi was not entirely convinced by the theory put forth by police.

She fought her case at State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and won it.

On August 13 this year SHRC asked the State government to pay a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the tribal lady as it did not find any involvement of Siri Majhi in naxalite movements.

Ms. Paleka has now huge task cut out to up-bring two children after her husband’s death.

Sub-divisional police officer of Gunupur on Monday summoned Mali and handed over cash of Rs. 1 lakh to her.

“This could be the first instance when State government paid compensation in a fake encounter case.

Had police applied their mind, a precious life could have been saved,” Biswapriya Kanungo, counsel of tribal lady, said.

He said, “by paying compensation the State government admitted that cops had done mistake.

We will intensify our demands to initiate criminal proceedings against police officials involved in killing Siri Majhi Paleka.”

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