Kolkata, Sep 25 The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the district magistrate of Murshidabad to file a comprehensive report on the funds for victims of the communal violence, which took place in Murshidabad district earlier this year, detailing for whom and how the money was allocated.
The division bench of acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Soumen Sen and Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury further ordered counsels of petitioners to furnish names of victims, who are yet to be compensated or rehabilitated, within a fortnight. The district magistrate has been asked to verify the said list.
The court further said that if there is any complaint about compensation, the plaintiffs will inform the district magistrate within 14 days. The state will report on the compensation and rescue work.
The court also asked about the condition of the houses in the area. The state submitted before the court that a total of Rs 3.39 crore has been paid as compensation. About 283 families have received this compensation and Rs 1.2 lakh has been paid for each damaged house. About 119 houses have been destroyed.
However, Chief Justice Soumen Sen wanted to know whether the entire amount has been used. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court asked for a comprehensive report on the funds for the victims. The matter has been posted for hearing next on November 20..
It may be noted that on September 17, the Calcutta High Court criticized the state government for its delay in providing compensation to families affected by the communal violence in Murshidabad.
The judges demanded that the state government provide a clear timeline for disbursing compensation and a detailed rehabilitation plan for the affected families. They warned that the continued delay in providing relief could exacerbate the suffering of victims and heighten communal tensions in the already volatile Murshidabad region.
In April this year, areas like Suti, Dhuliyan, Raghunathganj and Samserganj, among others, were majorly affected by the communal violence and riot-like situation after protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent.
Several shops and houses owned by Hindus were destroyed and gutted, and some Hindu religious establishments were also vandalised. The worst-affected place was Jafrabad village in the Samserganj area, where Hargobindo Das and Chandan Das, a father and son, were hacked by the rioters.
The communal tension broke out on April 8. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed on the night of April 12, following the order of a special division bench of the Calcutta High Court, created exclusively to hear the matter of the Murshidabad violence.
While ordering the CAPF deployment, the special division bench observed that the situation in Murshidabad would not have turned so serious had the state government taken the decision to deploy central forces earlier.
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