HC summons Azamgarh DM to explain plight of 'living dead'

The Allahabad High court has summoned the district magistrate of Azamgarh to explain the plight of a 'living dead', along with relevant records.
It has also directed the district magistrate to take suitable action in the matter prior to appearing before the court on January 15.
Justices Shabihul Hasnain and Shiv Kumar Singh of the Lucknow bench of the high court passed the order on December 18 while hearing a 12-year-old case filed by petitioner Lal Behari.
The petitioner claimed that he was declared dead in the revenue records at the behest of some unscrupulous persons in 1976.
"After running from pillar to post, the revenue records were corrected on June 30, 1994," he said.

Now moving the petition, he demanded compensation from the state government for his plight during the 18 years when he was declared dead in official records.
The court had earlier directed the state counsel to produce relevant records pertaining to the issue but when the matter came up for hearing on December 18, no record was produced.
Expressing serious concern, the court directed the district magistrate to appear.