The Assam Government has taken steps to provide financial compensation to victims whose homes were demolished in Batadrava, located in Nagaon district. This information was disclosed to the Gauhati High Court through an affidavit, detailing compensation awarded to six affected families. Notably, two families residing in reinforced concrete (RCC) houses received Rs 12 lakh each, while four families living in non-concrete houses were granted Rs 2.5 lakh each.
This move comes in response to the High Court’s directive to compensate families affected by demolitions following arson at the Batadrava police station in May 2022. The court had previously accepted Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and taken suo moto cognizance of the incident. However, while acknowledging the compensation, the High Court raised concerns regarding the lack of accountability of police officers involved in the demolitions. Despite ongoing investigations, no action has been taken against responsible officials.
The court stressed the importance of holding these officials accountable and directed the state government to initiate punitive measures against them. During the latest hearing, the High Court questioned the Assam Government about steps taken against erring officers, giving a three-week deadline to provide a detailed report on planned punitive actions.
