Orissa High Court orders compensation for workers killed in 2013 landslide
The court also directed the state government to pay compensation of Rs 1.50 lakh each to the bereaved families within two months, with 12 per cent annual interest for any delay beyond the stipulated period.
Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra delivered identical judgments on July 10 in two separate petitions filed by the families of the deceased Taleswar Jani and Krushna Chandra Mallik. The petitions were moved challenging the collector's rejection of their compensation applications dated June 17, 2022.
The deceased, Jani and Mallik, had been engaged in a road construction project in Sirikibadi village under Banigochha police station in Nayagarh district. On July 17, 2013, while work was underway, a sudden landslide triggered by heavy rainfall claimed their lives on the spot.
However, the collector had rejected the families' compensation requests, citing that the rainfall on the day of the incident did not meet the threshold required under the Odisha Relief Code for compensation due to natural disasters.
The court ruled that the bereaved families are fully entitled to ex gratia compensation under the Odisha Relief Code. It directed the state to release `1.50 lakh to each family along with interest from the date of their applications. Failure to comply within two months would attract an interest penalty of 12 pc per annum.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
8 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Kerala nuns held in Chhattisgarh for alleged religious conversion, bishops' group calls case ‘false'
Two nuns from Kerala and a man were arrested at the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh on Saturday for alleged human trafficking and religious conversion, The News Minute reported. The nuns – Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis – are members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a congregation under the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district's Cherthala town and were working at a hospital in Agra, Mathrubhumi reported. The two nuns and the man, identified as Sukhman Mandavi, were accompanying three women from Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. Sebastian Poomattam, vicar general of the Raipur Archdiocese, told The News Minute that the nuns were taking the women to Agra where they had been offered jobs of kitchen helpers at a convent. 'They had the consent letters from their parents and were all above 18 years of age,' he added. While at the railway station, a ticket examiner questioned the group on the platform. 'The girls and one man entered the platform where the nuns were waiting,' The News Minute quoted Poomattam as saying. 'The examiner asked about their tickets, and they said the nuns had them.' The vicar general claimed that the examiner informed members of the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal about the situation and that the outfit's members 'arrived in large numbers within minutes'. The police detained the nuns, the man and the three women. The Bajrang Dal vigilantes protested at the police station and demanded the registration of a first information report against the nuns, The News Minute reported. The nuns and Mandavi were remanded to judicial custody till August 8. They were charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to human trafficking and sections of Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act. The three women were taken to a government-run shelter home. Unidentified police officers told the Hindustan Times that the nuns were allegedly taking the women to Agra with the promise of 'good facilities and a monthly salary of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000'. The police had reached the railway station based on a tip-off from members of the Bajrang Dal, the officers were quoted as having said. 'When questioned, the women said that initially they were told they would be offered jobs within Chhattisgarh, but when they reached Durg, they were told that the nuns had come to take them to Agra,' the newspaper quoted the officers as saying. Commenting on the incident, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India alleged that a ' false ' case had been filed against the nuns under the influence of Hindutva groups, Onmanorama reported. The bishops' conference sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the matter. Kerala CM seeks PM's intervention Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday also sought Modi's intervention in ensuring justice to the two nuns, PTI reported. In a letter to the prime minister, the chief minister said that Mary and Francis were arrested when they had gone to receive women who were coming to work in their convent. Family members of the two nuns have claimed that they had not been able to communicate with them after they were taken into custody, he added. Vijayan requested the prime minister to intervene in the matter and ensure transparent and fair proceedings, PTI reported. Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal said on Sunday that attacks on minorities had seen 'a rampant increase under BJP-ruled states, be it Chhattisgarh, Odisha or MP [Madhya Pradesh]'. The Congress leader said that he had written to the Union home ministry and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai demanding strict punishment against the culprits and the urgent need to uphold the Constitution 'so that fundamental rights of minorities are not threatened under their rule'. 'The latest attacks by Bajrang Dal goons on 2 Catholic nuns in Durg, Chhattisgarh point to a tacit support for such hate crimes from the ruling establishment,' Venugopal said on social media. In his letter to the home ministry and the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Venugopal said that it was 'deeply disturbing that self proclaimed vigilantes can instigate communal tension and make baseless accusations of conversion and trafficking without any legal foundation'. He added: 'Despite clear documentation and parental consent, the authorities have chosen to keep the nuns and the man in custody, reportedly under political pressure.'
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Hyd police blow lid off illegal surrogacy racket
Hyderabad: Hyderabad City Police with the support of the Medical and Health department busted an illegal surrogacy and baby selling racket. Police arrested eight persons, including the doctor and owner of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. The arrested persons were Dr Athaluri Namratha Pachipala (64), owner of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, and associates Pachipala Jayanth Krishna (25), C Kalyani Atchayyamma (40), working as Manager at the centre, Gollamandala Chenna Rao (37), Lab Technician & Embryologist, Nargula Sadanandam (41), Anesthesia Specialist and working doctor in Gandhi Hospital, Dhanasri Santoshi (38), Mohammed Ali Adik (38), and Nasreen Begum (25), all three native of Assam. According to police, the complainant couple approached Universal Srushti Fertility Centre located in Gopalapuram in August 2024 for fertility and IVF consultation. There they met Dr Namrata who after conducting fertility related tests advised them to go for surrogacy. The couple was directed to another branch of the clinic at Visakhapatnam for collection of specimens and were told that the surrogate will be arranged by the clinic and the embryo would be transplanted to the surrogate. 'Over the course of 9 months, the couple made several payments to the clinic and updates as to the baby's health were given by the clinic. In June 2025, the complainant was informed that the surrogate had delivered a baby boy via C-section in Visakhapatnam and that they should pay extra amount for the delivery charges and collect the baby from Visakhapatnam,' said S Rashmi Perumal, DCP North Zone. The DCP said the complainant reached Vizag and the baby boy was handed over to her along with documentation which showed registration of the child as having been born to the couple themselves, creating a false birth certificate document. 'Overall, the clinic took over Rs 35 lakhs from the couple as consultation charges for the procedures. Later, the couple went in for a DNA test which revealed that the child's DNA did not match theirs at all. They tried to get in touch with the clinic, but they were refused any documentation and were threatened, which prompted them to approach the police,' said the DCP. Rashmi said that in an inquiry it was revealed that the main accused, Dr Namratha was conducting a large-scale illegal surrogacy and fertility scam. She began medical practice in 1995 and transitioned into fertility and IVF services from 1998. Over the years, she expanded into unethical and illegal practices, collecting Rs 20 – Rs 30 lakh from each client under false promises. 'She, along with associates, targeted vulnerable women, particularly those seeking abortions and lured them into continuing pregnancies in exchange for money. These newborns were then passed off as children conceived through surrogacy, misleading clients into believing the babies were biologically theirs.' The original parents of the baby were identified (native of Assam and living in Hyderabad) and the delivery was planned at Vizag. After taking the baby, a paltry sum was handed over to them and the couple was sent back to Hyderabad. On charges of baby selling, the original parents were also tracked and arrested. A simultaneous raid was planned at Hyderabad and Vizag clinics, which led to several arrests. With the help of the medical department, the clinic at Gopalapuram was seized and large-scale equipment was found at the area which substantiated the facts that the accused was conducting IVF treatments, creating live embryos, doing real medical procedures without any proper license. Gopalapuram police seized medical equipment and medicines being used at the clinic, mobile phones and digital devices, case records and surrogacy documents seized with help from Medical and Health Department officials. More than 10 cases have been registered previously so far. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and further legal action is being pursued. The Medical and Health Department had cancelled the registration of the fertility clinic previously, but the accused continued to operate the place from the building and put the name of another certified doctor Dr. Suri Shrimati on the official letter pads of the clinic.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
Couple Find Surrogate Baby's DNA Not Linked To Them, Doctor Arrested In Major Surrogacy Racket
Last Updated: An illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket was busted in Hyderabad with the arrest of at least 10 people, including a doctor. A major illegal surrogacy and sperm trafficking racket has unravelled in the twin city of Hyderabad-Secunderabad. The Hyderabad police raided a fertility centre in Regimental Bazaar after a couple found out that the DNA of their child, born through surrogacy catered by the fertility centre, does not match with them. Police have arrested at least 10 persons in connection with the case, including a doctor. The accused, Dr Namrata, is the manager of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Regimental Bazaar. As per the police, the accused used to target vulnerable women, particularly those seeking abortions, and lured them into continuing pregnancies in exchange for money and other reasons. The newborns were handed over to the couple who had approached the clinic for surrogacy. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone-Hyderabad) S Rashmi Perumal said people were misled by the clinic into believing the babies were biologically theirs. Charged Rs 35 Lakh For Surrogacy The couple who approached the police stated that they had approached the fertility clinic in August 2024 for fertility and IVF consultation. Dr Namratha conducted their fertility-related tests and advised them to go for surrogacy. The DCP told PTI that the couple was directed to another branch of the clinic at Visakhapatnam for collection of specimens and were told that the surrogate would be arranged by the clinic and the embryo would be transplanted to the surrogate. Over the course of nine months, the couple made several payments to the clinic. In June this year, the complainant was informed that the surrogate had delivered a baby boy via C-section in Visakhapatnam. Overall, the clinic took over Rs 35 lakh from the couple as consultation charges for the procedures, police said. The baby boy and a 'false" birth certificate document were given to the couple. When the couple tried to get in touch with the clinic they were refused any documentation and were threatened, which prompted them to approach the police, the senior police official said. Illegal Rackets Operated Across Multiple Locations Based on the complaint, a detailed investigation was conducted on Saturday which revealed that Dr Namratha was allegedly conducting a large-scale illegal surrogacy and fertility 'scam". The main accused operated fertility centers in Vijayawada, Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Kondapur, police said. Over the years, she expanded into unethical and illegal practices, collecting Rs 20-Rs 30 lakh from each client under false promises, police said. With the help of the medical department, the clinic at Gopalapuram in Hyderabad was sealed, police said. The Medical and Health Department had cancelled the registration of the involved fertility clinic previously, but the accused continued to operate from the building and put the name of another certified doctor on the official letterheads of the clinic. view comments First Published: July 28, 2025, 07:34 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
