‘Brahma hatya’: Patna High Court orders Rs 5.5 lakh compensation over house demolition
The Patna High Court has ordered the East Champaran administration to pay Rs 5.5 lakh in interim compensation to three petitioners whose house and boundary walls were illegally demolished in 2017. Justice Raj Kumar likened the act of demolishing the house to "Brahma Hatya," a grave sin in Hindu culture, emphasizing the irreparable damage caused to the petitioners' lives.
The court observed that when a person's shelter is demolished, it not only violates their fundamental right to protection under Article 21 of the Constitution but also inflicts deep emotional and psychological distress. The demolition occurred without a lawful order, in the presence of authorities, and without providing the petitioners an opportunity to be heard.
The court directed the commissioner to pay Rs 1.5 lakh to one petitioner and Rs 2 lakh each to the other two within two months, with a final compensation determination to be made within three months after the interim payment.
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