The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed a plea seeking ₹1 crore compensation for the kin of the deceased in 2010 Mirchpur killing of Dalits in Haryana. The court termed the fresh round of litigation as a “commercial enterprise”.
In April 2010, following a dispute between Jat men and a Dalit man over a barking dog, a mob of Jats set ablaze 18 Dalit houses. In the inferno, a 70-year-old man named Tarachand and his differently abled teenage daughter, Suman, were burned to death. As many as 254 families of the SC community had to flee the village as a result of the caste-based violence.
The court had disposed of a plea from the villagers in 2024, after announcement of a slew of measures by the state government.
However, this review application seeking rehabilitation of the victims was filed by some victims claiming that rehabilitation is incomplete as they continue to live in in human, unhygienic and unsafe conditions; that there are still 15 victims remaining who have not been allotted plots; and that no employment or any kind of compensation has been given to them.
Taking note of the government’s submissions, the court noted that in case of death , a lump sum of ₹15 lakh has been paid to the victim’s family and ex-gratia permanent job to their children and government accommodation with gunmen. Similarly, 26 other persons have been provided gunmen. A total of 77 CRPF personnel have been deployed for the protection of the victims/witnesses and a total amount of approx ₹20 crore has been spent on security arrangements, the court observed.
{{/usCountry}}Taking note of the government’s submissions, the court noted that in case of death , a lump sum of ₹15 lakh has been paid to the victim’s family and ex-gratia permanent job to their children and government accommodation with gunmen. Similarly, 26 other persons have been provided gunmen. A total of 77 CRPF personnel have been deployed for the protection of the victims/witnesses and a total amount of approx ₹20 crore has been spent on security arrangements, the court observed.
{{/usCountry}}It confronted these facts with the counsels of petitioners, who continued to maintain that the same are incorrect. “..despite repeated court queries, learned counsel is unable to demonstrate as to how and in what manner the said reports and facts and figures are incorrect,” the court further noted.
“..This court is therefore constrained to observe that the entire exercise appears to have become a commercial enterprise,” the court observed, dismissing the plea.