HC seeks state response on compensation plea for girl mauled to death by stray dogs

Cuttack: Orissa high court on Wednesday issued notice to the govt on a petition seeking Rs 25 lakh compensation in the case of a six-year-old girl who was killed by a pack of stray dogs at Soriguda village in Koraput district on Dec 24, 2024.The dogs attacked Chandini Harijan while she was playing in the verandah of her house. She was declared dead on arrival at Kumuliput hospital.Daily wager Premika Harijan (40), mother of Chandini, had filed the petition on March 17. When the petition was taken up on Wednesday, advocate Raj Kishore Swain made submissions on the petitioner's behalf and sought direction to the govt to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation for the girl's death.Acting on it, Justice A K Mohapatra issued notices to state authorities to file replies within four weeks. The respondents included secretary, panchayati raj & drinking water department, and district collector, Koraput.On Dec 11, 2023, the high court had awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation to the daily wager parents of a four-year-old boy who was mauled to death by four stray dogs in Puri town on Dec 1, 2016. The compensation was awarded on a PIL filed by Bibhuti Charan Mohanty, a resident of Puri town in 2016.