Odisha Rights Panel Orders Rs 1.5 Lakh Compensation To ‘Fake Encounter’ Victim’s Family

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Thursday directed the state government to pay Rs 1.5 lakh compensation to the family of a tribal who was killed during a ‘fake encounter’ by the security personnel in Rayagada district in 2016.

The Commission directed the Home Department to pay the compensation to Drika Kadraka, brother of the deceased Manda Kadraka, within two months.

The incident took place on February 27, when the Border Security Force (BSF) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel shot dead Manda during a combing operation in the forest area near Dangamatia village under Kalyansinghpur police limits.

Following the incident, Drika had said the shooting took place when his brother with another fellow villager Dambaru Sikka had gone to the hilltop to collect ‘salapa’, the local brew.

While the police had claimed that Manda was a Maoist, the family members strongly refuted the charge and lodged a complaint at the Kalyansinghpur police station.

The incident was strongly condemned by several organisations and civil societies.