NHRC likely to give Rs 2 crore aid to 89 STF torture victims

New Delhi, Jan 14 (UNI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will tomorrow announce compensation for 89 people, including women, who were tortured by the joint special task force during operations against slain forest Brigand Veerappan and the grant is likely to be more than Rs 2 crore.

NHRC sources told UNI that the official announcement will be made tomorrow afternoon after a meeting of all Commission members.

''The compensation will be one of the biggest announced so far,'' the sources added.

The special task force was formed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where the brigand used to operate.

Complainants had alleged that people in both states were illegally detained and tortured, and women were subjected to sexual harassment.

The compensation is to be jointly paid by the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments, which have so far refused to pay the victims.

In 1999, the Commission had ordered setting up of a two-member inquiry panel, headed by (Rtd) Justice A Sadasiva, to look into the allegations of human rights violations by the STF.

The panel submitted its report in 2003 and the compensation is being awarded on the basis the recommendations.

The NHRC sources said both the State governments denied all the findings of the Sadasiva panel.

UNI