Victims of Maoist violence demand their due

NEW DELHI: Demanding to know why widows and orphans of policemen injured and slain during Maoist attacks in Orissa are being treated callously, a handful of their family members gathered at the Press Club here on Sunday to highlight their woes and draw the attention of the Central government to the apathy of the State government.

Injured in attack

Woman Constable Pratima Rout was injured in a Maoists attack at Nayagarh police station in 2008 and claims that she has been subjected to ill-treatment, cheating and mental torture by her own department since then. “I was shot four times before I fell unconscious and was hospitalised in a critical condition. After a month and 18 days, the department informed me that I won't get any more financial assistance and that I would have to pay my medical expenses. I applied for a loan from the Police Welfare Fund and received Rs. 20,000; soon afterwards I received a phone call from the department stating that I must pay back Rs. 40,000. I had to meet the Director-General of Orissa Police who waived the loan and also assigned me an office job,'' she said.

“However, the government is yet to pay me compensation. I am demanding the dues the State government owes me. I also want to know why serving police persons are being put through this kind of mental and economic hardship. What is the point in being a protector of law when my government cannot protect my own rights as a human being,'' said Ms. Rout.