HC notice to govt, Bathinda MC on plea seeking ₹30-lakh relief

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday put the local bodies department and the Bathinda municipal corporation on notice on a petition seeking compensation of Rs 30 lakh in a bull attack case on a local trader.

The victim Ramesh Kumar, who owns a stationary shop, was attacked on September 14 and is currently in coma. The bench of justice RN Raina sought response by August 18 on a petition of Sukhwinder, wife of the victim, seeking compensation from the local bodies department and the Bathinda MC.

As per the petition, after the attack, the trader was admitted to the civil hospital from where he was referred to a local trauma centre, where he was kept for more than three weeks and was eventually discharged in a state of coma.

The victim has two daughters, who are hockey players, and have participated in nationallevel tournaments. “Their careers are in jeopardy as they have to look after their father. The condition of victim is worse than that of a dead person, and the family does not have funds for getting him treated,” the court was told by counsel HC Arora.

The civic bodies have the responsibility under various provisions of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, to dispose the stray animals, and also to set up cattle pounds for keeping them there, the court was told, adding that the MC has failed in discharging its statutory functions.