Kerala HC Says ₹20,000 Cap Cannot Limit Compensation For Wild Animal Attack Victims
Kochi, August 31, 2026: The Kerala High Court has held that the State must provide just and adequate compensation to victims of wild animal attacks, ruling that the amount cannot be restricted to Rs 20,000 under the Kerala Rules for Payment of Compensation to Victims of Attack by Wild Animals, 1980. Justice Mohammed Nias CP made the observation while dismissing a regular second appeal filed by…
The Kerala High Court has ruled that the state must provide just and adequate compensation to victims of wild animal attacks, rejecting a government cap of Rs 20,000 under a compensation scheme. The court stated that the amount is merely a floor and not a ceiling, and that compensation can be higher based on the actual loss, pain and suffering of the victim.
Justice Mohammed Nias CP made the observation while dismissing a second appeal against compensation awarded to a family whose husband died in a wild elephant attack. The court held that the State, as the owner and custodian of wildlife, can be held strictly liable when wild animals cause injury or damage, regardless of negligence.
The family sought compensation of Rs 2 lakh after losing their income earner, but the department awarded only Rs 20,000. The trial court awarded Rs 1.78 lakh more after finding negligence by the Forest Department in not installing fencing or trenches along the forest boundary.
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