Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a show cause notice to Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena to reply why a compensation of Rs 7 lakh will not be recommended to be paid to the next of kin of the deceased, Dhaneswar Behera, who was killed by forest officials.
Acting on a petition filed by Rights Activist Radhakanta Tripathy the NHRC issued the show cause May 24 last directing the Chief Secretary to reply in four weeks.
Tripathy, in his petition, alleged that Dhanewar Behera of Khuntakata Satagochhia village under Badamba Police limits of Cuttack district was picked up by Forest Department officials on charges of poaching a tusker and removing its tusks in the first week of February this year.
Later, he was found dead in the custody of the Forest Department. The villagers and family members of the victim alleged that he was hacked to death by forest officials.
In response to a notice of the NHRC pursuant to the notice the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Odisha said a case u/s 302/323/341/342/354/365/294/34 of IPC and Section 25/27 of Arms Act and Section 3(1) (r)(s)(w), 3 (2) (v)(va) of SC/ST (PoA) has been registered against six forest officials —Subrat Kumar Behra, Manoj Das, Deepak Kumar Sethi, Sunayak Manjhi, Kuna Behra and Pravat Pradhan.
They were arrested and forwarded to the Court May 6, 2023 and have been in jail since then. Even though they have been placed under suspension w.e.f. February 8, 2023, the investigation is still going on.
All reports such as the post-mortem report, chemical and histopathological examination report of viscera, FCOD based on FSL, and magisterial inquiry report have not been received so far.
The Commission considered the report and directed the Chief Secretary, to reply to the show cause notice within four weeks.
UNI