Rejects review plea, reaffirms Rs 50,000 payout for woman
PANAJI
The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has rejected the review application filed by the Director General of Police and the In-charge of the Maulinguem Firing Station, reiterating its earlier order recommending compensation of Rs 50,000 to a woman who sustained a bullet injury near her house in 2021.
In its latest order pronounced on Tuesday, the Commission, presided over by GHRC Acting Chairperson Desmond D’Costa and Member Pramod Kamat, observed that no new grounds had been made out for the review of the Inquiry Report dated February 22, 2024. The review plea was filed on August 14, 2024, under the Goa Human Rights Commission (Procedure) Regulations, 2011.
While rejecting the plea, the Commission stated that arguments raised by the Goa Police regarding the existence of a natural hillock and a special mud dump behind the target – which allegedly made it unlikely for any bullet to travel beyond the range – had already been considered during the initial inquiry. The Commission noted that these factors were not new and had already been part of the respondents’ own submissions in the original proceeding.
The Commission agreed with Advocate Pooja Kamat, appearing for the complainant, that the respondents had failed to bring any fresh or compelling material that would warrant a review. “Generally, the power of review may be exercised only upon the discovery of new and important facts or an error apparent on the face of the record,” it observed, adding that in this case, neither condition is satisfied.
The original inquiry report found that the complainant Urmila Gaonkar sustained a bullet injury on the heel of her right leg on January 27, 2021, while she was washing clothes in the courtyard of her house at Maulinguem. She was admitted to Goa Medical College, where she underwent surgery on February 3, 2021, to remove the bullet.
“The Commission agrees with the submissions of the Advocate for the Complainant that the Complainant has made out a violation of her human rights due to the actions of the Respondents in conducting their firing practices, resulting in a bullet travelling beyond the Firing Range and injuring the Complainant. The acts of the Respondents resulted in injury to the Complainant and loss of work to her for over three months, as well as pain and suffering...” reads the order.
The Commission has directed the DGP to comply with the compensation order within 30 days from February 22, 2024, with simple interest at 6 percent per annum from the date of the complaint, that is, June 7, 2022, until the final payment is made. It also sought comments and details of action taken or proposed, on or before May 23, 2025.
