CHENNAI: Seven years after a woman was killed by a narikurava man in accidental gunfire during bid to kill stray dogs with country-made gun at a village in Perambalur, the Madras High Court has ordered a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family.
Ruling on a writ petition filed by G Babu, son of victim Vijaya of Eraiyur, Justice SM Subramaniam directed the Perambalur Collector to pay Rs 5 lakh and ordered the chief of the panchayat and two ward members to pay the rest 50 per cent of the relief amount.
The compensation should be paid within eight weeks and it should be shared equally by the victim’s legal heirs, the court said. Justice Subramaniam said the very act of shooting down stray dogs was illegal, and unfortunately officials, including the collector, had neither shown sensitivity nor initiated appropriate action.
On February 25, 2015, Eraiyur panchayat president Kulanji and ward members Chinnadurai (vice-president) and Jayaraman had hired shooter Ramadurai to kill rabid dogs that had bitten fifteen villagers.
When Ramadurai fired poison-laced bullets from his country-made gun, a bullet accidentally hit the woman who stepped out of her house after hearing unusual noise.
The trio took her to a government hospital but concealed the fact that she suffered bullet wound. She was discharged after a few days. Thirteen days later, she was again admitted to another hospital where a surgery was performed to remove the bullet but she died during the course of her treatment. The local police registered a case based on Babu’s compliant but they were slow in taking action. The panchayat president and ward members, meanwhile, brokered a deal with Babu by promising to pay him compensation. But they reneged on their promise and Babu moved the court.
Strays bit 15 villagers
On February 25, 2015, Eraiyur panchayat president and ward members hired shooter Ramadurai to kill rabid dogs that had bitten 15 villagers. When Ramadurai fired poison-laced bullets from his gun, a bullet accidentally hit the woman who stepped
out of her house after hearing unusual noise