NHRC asks govt to pay compensation to Assam "encounter" victim

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today asked the Centre government to pay Rs five lakh as compensation to the next of kin of a man who was killed by security forces in an encounter in Sonitpur, Assam in 2010.
According to an NHRC statement issued today, the rights panel has recommended through the Ministry of Defence that the government of India pay Rs five lakh as relief to the next of kin of Bijoy Bora who was killed on February 19, 2010. The Commission has also asked for a proof of payment.
Setting aside the claims of a genuine encounter by security forces in Sonitpur, the Commission has rejected the contention of the Defence Ministry that monetary relief should not be given to his next of kin since the operation in which he was killed was "conducted in accordance with the laid down procedure and there was no human rights violation by the security forces", the statement said.

On the basis of the material on record, the Commission observed that there was no proof that an encounter had taken place, initiated by extremists, in which the security forces were compelled to return fire.