NHRC asks UP govt to pay Rs 5L to families of shooting victims

New Delhi: NHRC has directed Uttar Pradesh government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of two children killed during a celebratory firing by a man using the service revolver of an SHO during a wedding function in Muzaffarnagar district.

Two children - Shivam and Affaque, both 10 years of age - were killed in the incident in February 2010 when the accused allegedly used a service revolver of an SHO, who was also present in the ceremony. Acting on a complaint, the National Human Rights Commission, in a letter to the Chief Secretary, UP Government, said the victims` families should be paid a monetary relief of Rs 5 lakh. The NHRC had earlier in 2012 served a notice to the state government asking it to answer why it had not granted financial compensation to the families of the victim. It had also rejected the response filed by the chief secretary in this regard and recently ordered the government to pay the monetary relief to the next of the kin of the deceased. The commission has also ordered the government to submit a proof of payment within 6 weeks.