Supreme Court issues notice on plea alleging illegal mining by Khurai MLA Bhupendra Singh’s nephew caused a child’s 70% disability. Petitioners seek FIR, NHRC compliance, and Rs 1 crore compensation.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday agreed to hear a plea concerning a shocking incident in Khurai, Madhya Pradesh, where a young child suffered severe injuries and permanent disability after coming in contact with a high-tension electric wire.
The accident happened when the child climbed a heap of illegally dumped crushed stones that allegedly belonged to a stone crushing unit owned by the nephew of Khurai MLA Bhupendra Singh.
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A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta has issued notices to the Madhya Pradesh government and other parties, asking them to submit their responses to the plea within four weeks.
The plea was filed by two petitioners, one of whom is the father of the injured child. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appeared for the petitioners and pointed out that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had already intervened in the matter.
According to him, the NHRC had given multiple directions, including providing relief to the victim’s family, ensuring proper medical treatment, and initiating criminal proceedings.
The plea said the incident took place when the boy tried to retrieve his ball from behind a playground in Khurai.
In doing so, he climbed a mound of crushed stones allegedly dumped illegally by Lakhan Singh, the owner of the crusher unit and the nephew of MLA Bhupendra Singh. While on top of the stones, the child came in contact with a high-tension electric wire, which caused life-threatening injuries.
Doctors later managed to save the boy’s life, but one of his hands had to be amputated. The boy also suffered multiple injuries across his body and has now been left with a 70 percent disability.
The petitioners alleged that MLA Bhupendra Singh
“wields significant political influence in the region”
and that Lakhan Singh was responsible for running the crusher unit. The plea further said that when the father of the injured child attempted to file an FIR against the culprits, the family was subjected to “continuous intimidation and harassment.”
Instead of protecting the victim’s family, an FIR was filed against the second petitioner, a social worker, who had been supporting the family.
Gonsalves told the court that the second petitioner too has been facing threats because of his support for the family’s fight for justice.
The plea said:
“Despite directions from the National Human Rights Commission to register an FIR against Lakhan and Bhupendra Singh, provide relief to the victim, and to either close or relocate the mine from the residential areas, authorities have failed to act.”
It added that the NHRC had also instructed the District Magistrate of Sagar to take steps to either shut down or shift the stone crusher unit away from residential areas so that no other residents suffer similar harm. However, no action has been taken so far.
The petition further said:
“Since the petitioner attempted to file an FIR, the family has faced continuous intimidation and harassment. Despite multiple letters and directions issued by the NHRC, no FIR has been registered against the accused, nor has any compensation been granted to the minor victim, who has been left permanently disabled.”
The plea also alleged that a
“false criminal case was filed against the second petitioner, who is a social worker,” in an attempt to silence him.
After narrating these facts, the plea urged the Supreme Court to step in and direct the state authorities to immediately implement NHRC’s recommendations.
Apart from closure or relocation of the illegal mining site, the petitioners have demanded proper compensation. They have asked for a compensation of Rs 1 crore along with necessary medical support for the child’s treatment and rehabilitation.
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