Explain criteria for deciding Hashimpura Killings compensation: HC to UP govt

A division bench passed the order on a PIL filed by “Sach”, an NGO. The PIL alleged that the compensation was being distributed only to select few families while ignoring a large number of other victims.

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“According to the petitioner, as many as 351 persons lost their lives in the course of the incident and hence, there is no reason for the State to discriminate between the victims by awarding compensation only to a small group of persons,” the court said. Stating that the basis on which “these persons had been identified has not been indicated”, the court granted four weeks’ time to the state government for filing a counter-affidavit. The court fixed August 5 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

On June 5, the UP government decided to award a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to legal heirs of 38 persons who were killed in the police firing.