A nursing student, Sunita had taken the extreme step when the Gajapati district authorities did not release her annual stipend after repeated pleas. Even when the State government did not respond after Sunita’s untimely and unfortunate death, human rights activist-advocate Prabir Kumar Das had approached the OHRC seeking compensation to the victim’s family.
Das in his application had alleged that the 19-year-old tribal girl was deprived of her annual stipend of Rs.54,000 for over 18 months as a result she was expelled from a Bhubaneswar-based college where she was pursuing B. Sc.(Nursing).
“When her prayers remained unanswered for several days, the poor tribal girl took the unfortunate step,” Mr. Das had said in his application seeking a damage of Rs.10 lakh for the victim’s family.
The Berhampur-based Revenue Divisional Commissioner was asked by the OHRC to conduct an enquiry and submit a report. On the basis of RDC report, the OHRC in February this year had directed the government to pay Rs.5 lakh to the father of the girl. The amount shall be recovered from the erring official(s) to be determined by after an enquiry, said a letter issued by the department concerned.