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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Army told to compensate kin of tribals killed in explosion

Army told to compensate kin of tribals killed in explosion

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published Published on Jan 13, 2012   modified Modified on Jan 13, 2012
-The Times of India
 
A division bench of Gujarat high court has upheld a decision of Kutch's deputy collector directing the Indian Army to pay compensation to families of four poor persons, who were killed in an explosion in Khavda a decade ago.

Army personnel conducted an artillery firing practice near Khavda, the border region in the north of Kutch, on June 27, 2002. The next day, a shell exploded near the firing range in a tin shed killing four tribal persons from Dahod region and injuring four others. Those killed were collecting scrap after the firing practice.

A deputy collector conducted an inquiry into the incident and held the defence personnel responsible for negligence that they did not care to see that explosives were not left out after practice. The officer ordered the army to pay Rs 6.91 lakh to eight claimants with 12 per cent interest.

The decision was not acceptable by the Army, which moved HC claiming that the military had no connection with the explosion. The commandant stated that the firing range was free from any unused firing substance, therefore the headquarter and units in Kutch cannot be held responsible for the accident. It was contended that the explosion had taken place outside the boundaries of firing range. Therefore, to claim compensation from the Army is not applicable in this case under Section 5 of the Maneuvers Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act.

The central government even alleged the tribals of having indulged in a possible sabotage and claimed that army's liability is wrongly saddled without any justification.

The counsel for claimants, Apurva Dave contended that it was the duty of the army personnel to ensure that no blind shell is left behind. But after firing practice, some shells remained untraced and remained under soil. The kind of shell that exploded was usually used by army. Hence the army must give compensation to the affected because the army officials did not trace and deactivate the shell that was misfired.

In 2010, a single-judge bench had asked the commandant of regiment to pay compensation, but no payment was made by the defence establishment. Instead, it filed an appeal before a division bench, which was dismissed with observation, "It was the duty of the officer of to ensure that no shell misses out and if some shells are to be traced, then the same shall be taken into custody, and thereafter, deactivated."


The Times of India, 12 January, 2012, http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-12/ahmedabad/30619163_1_army-personnel-indian-army-army-officials


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