BIHAR HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIO
Speed Post News Network
Patna: Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) has taken strong exception to the police inaction in an acid attack case at village Benwalia under Bihia police station in Bhojpur district and has asked the Bhojpur SP to fix responsibility for the inaction, take stern action and inform the commission by July 15, 2016. The commission said that the incident took place in September 2015 but he first arrest was made on April 14, 2016, after a gap of more than six months and other police action too followed intervention by BHRC.
Satish Kumar, son of Rameshwar Prasad, of village Benwalia under Bihia police station in Bhojpur district had complained to the Commission in February 2016 about police inaction in an incident of acid attack on the night of September 8, 2015, in which his father, mother and sister were badly injured and were under going treatment at Appolo hospital, Delhi.
BHRC member Neelmani said the commission had asked for a response from Bhojpur SP in March, 2016. Finding no response, the Commission directed SP, to send the SDPO, Jagdispur with action taken report. The SDPO presented a report from SP, Bhojpur, indicating that the case was registered with Bihia PS and three accused were found guilty after investigation. Accused Sujeet Kumar was arrested on April 14, 2016, while his father Abhay Kumar surrendered before the Court on March 8,2016 and is in jail. Accused Jai Kishore Yadav, who was behind this attack to avenge refusal of the victim girl to his one sided love advances, was granted bail by the Patna High Court on May 3, 2016.
The report said that compensation granted by DM, Bhojpur at the rate of Rs one lakh each to the victims had been deposited into the bank accounts of petitioner’s father and mother but the same could not be deposited into the account of the victim girl as she did not have any account in a bank.
The commission has sad that the Bihar government has formulated Victim Compensation Scheme, 2014. The scheme provides for payment of Rs. 3 lakh to the acid attack victim as after care and rehabilitation measure. The payment has to be made by the District Legal Services Authority. The victim of the acid attack has to be paid Rs one lakh within fifteen days of the information of occurrence. The rest Rs. 2,00,000 shall be paid within the two months from the aforesaid payment. Health department of Bihar government had also issued a resolution on July 13, 2015, under which entire medical expenses including plastic surgery of the acid attack victim will be borne by the state government from Chief Minister Medical Relief Fund.
The BHRC has directed the Bhojpur SP to ensure quick submission of Final Form in the case and request the court for speedy trial. It has also asked the Bhojpur DM to apprise the commission of payment of compensation and status of medical aid to the victim by July 15, 2016. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for July 19.