Orissa HC orders Rs 10 lakh compensation in BSF firing death case

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the Border Security Force (BSF) to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to one Malati Kirsani, whose husband Gangadhar Kirsani, was killed during a crossfire between the security personnel and Maoists at Litiput under Machkund Police Station limits in Koraput district on October 29, 2013.

The court issued the direction on a petition filed by Malati in 2015. She had sought Rs 10 lakh compensation for her husband’s “murder” while he was guarding his Ragi crop against intrusion of animals.

According to the case records, the BSF had claimed that Gangadhar with alleged Naxalite links was killed during a counter-insurgency operation in a 20-minute exchange of fire between Maoists and security personnel.