Gumudumaha Police Firing: OHRC asks Odisha govt to pay additional compensation

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Friday directed Odisha government to pay additional compensation to the next of the kin of the five deceased persons who were killed in the sensational Gumudumaha police firing in Kandhamal district in 2016.

The OHRC has asked the state government to pay an additional compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of the kin of the five deceased persons. Besides, it has directed the state government to provide additional Rs 50,000 to the injured persons.

The human right body asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Odisha DGP, Southern Range RDC and Kandhamal district administration to comply with this enhanced compensation directive within two months.

Earlier the family members of the deceased  persons were given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each.

Notably, five tribal – Kukala Digal (42), Midiali Mallick (30), Bimbuli Mallick (40), Kumari Mallick (35) and Desi Digal (2) – were killed during an anti-Maoist operation by the security personnel at a forest near Gumudumaha on July 8, 2016.

The firing had also left at least seven others injured. The incident took place when the deceased and injured persons were travelling in an auto-rickshaw.

The state government had formed Justice Janab Mohammed Ajmal Commission of Inquiry to probe the incident.