Pay Rs 2 lakh compensation to the injured in Kishtwar: SC to J&K govt

New Delhi: It is the sixth day of curfew in Kishtwar on Wednesday. Curfew continues in seven other Jammu districts for the fourth day. The Supreme Court has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to those injured in the clashes.

The court has also directed the State Chief Secretary to file an affidavit on the clashes. Under massive pressure, the state government had ordered a judicial probe into Kishtwar clashes, but is looking for a retired judge to head the probe.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam turned down the plea of the state government against compensating the injured persons till the judicial commission looking into the incident files its report. "The injured are also entitled to compensation. How can you say that they are not entitled?" the bench asked, while refusing to modify its Tuesday's order in which it was mentioned that families of the deceased would be paid Rs 5 lakh and those injured would get up to Rs 2 lakh.

The bench also refused to give any directions to the state government as pleaded by J&K National Panthers Party's secretary Sudesh Dogra on whose PIL the court had on Tuesday directed the state's chief secretary to file a detailed affidavit on the communal clashes in Kishtwar and subsequent steps taken by the state government to control the situation.

"No further direction is required at this stage. Don't mention the matter every day. It is not the only case which we hear," the bench said. The PIL had sought a direction to the government to provide safe passage, food and medical facilities to the stranded pilgrims travelling back from Machil to Batote (national highway) till their evacuation saying, their survival is under threat.

The PIL also demanded compensation for all those whose houses, shops, infrastructure and other belongings have been destroyed by the mob in the clashes in Kishtwar. Communal violence had left three persons dead and several others injured in Kishtwar district where curfew was clamped. The streets of Kishtwar witnessed communal clashes on Eid-ul-Fitr. Several shops and vehicles were burnt.