SC directs Odisha govt to pay additional compensation to 2008 Kandhamal violence victims
02 August, New Delhi
The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Odisha government to pay additionalcompensation to the victims of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district in the state.
A division bench of the Apex Court, headed by Chief Justice Tirath Singh Thakur, and also comprising Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, asked the Odisha government to pay the additional compensationto the victims of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal, after holding that what was paid to them was not adequate.
The Apex court asked the Odisha government to pay additional compensation to the victims of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal after hearing a petition filed by Archbishop, RachelCheenath.Cheenath had approached the Apex Court seeking more compensation for the victims of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal.
According to the police, in August 2008, heavy violence had allegedly erupted in 10 districts of Odisha, including Kandhamal, when a local leader and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member Swami LakhmanandaSaraswati was allegedly assassinated by many unknown assailants on August 23.
His death allegedly led to an outrage against the Christian community leading to widespread incidences of murder, forcefulconversions and destruction of churches.During the investigation in the Kandhamal violence case, more than 800 cases were registered and more than 700 people were arrested.