India News | Allahabad HC Pulls Up Meerut DM for Delay in Paying Compensation to Acid Attack Victim
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Allahabad High Court has come down heavily on the district magistrate of Meerut for not taking necessary steps to pay compensation to an acid attack victim.
Prayagraj, Feb 19 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has come down heavily on the district magistrate of Meerut for not taking necessary steps to pay compensation to an acid attack victim.
The court has directed the district magistrate (DM) to provide documents, including copies of the victim's medical report and the FIR filed in the case, to the Women Safety Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.
Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Inaugurate First Edition of SOUL Leadership Conclave on February 21 in Delhi.
The court has also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to issue a circular to all the district magistrates across the state to ensure that delays of such nature are not repeated in the future.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Vipin Chandra Dixit passed the order on a petition filed by Rajneeta from Meerut, who moved the court for receiving an additional compensation of Rs 1 lakh payable to acid attack victims under the PM National Relief Fund.
"Upon perusal of the documents, it appears that by a letter dated September 3, 2024, the under secretary in the Women Safety Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, directed the district magistrate of Meerut to provide specific responses in an enclosed proforma along with a legible copy of the medical report and the FIR copy of the acid attack upon the petitioner and one more victim," the bench noted.
Terming the situation "extremely alarming", the court issued a directive to the DM to ensure compliance with the letter sent by the home ministry within one week.
"It is to be noted that the incident of acid attack had taken place in 2013 and certain compensation was received by the petitioner. However, it is clear from the records that the cost of the surgeries and medical assistance required by the petitioner is far above the compensation provided to her.
"In light of the same, it becomes imperative to direct the authorities to ensure that the additional compensation to be provided by the Union of India should be handed over to the petitioner at the earliest,” the court said.
In December 2013, Rajneeta suffered severe burns to her eyes, chest, neck, and face during a road construction dispute.
The petitioner claimed that she had been running from pillar to post since 2013 to receive the additional compensation of Rs 1 lakh payable to acid attack survivors under the Prime Minister National Relief Fund.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)