NHRC Issues Show Cause Notice to Odisha Govt Over Farmer’s Electrocution Death

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a show cause notice to the Chief Secretary of Odisha, demanding a compliance report regarding the death of Ashwini Jena, a 65-year-old farmer who was electrocuted by a live wire in Bhadrak district on October 23, 2023. The NHRC is questioning why a compensation of Rs 5 lakh should not be recommended for Jena’s legal heirs.

The notice follows a petition by human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy. Jena, a small-scale farmer, died from cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation caused by electric current injuries, as confirmed by the post-mortem report.

The incident was attributed to the negligence of power discom officials who failed to maintain proper safety measures. Reports from TPNODL (the power discom) and other authorities claimed the deceased’s negligence as the reason for denying compensation, a justification the NHRC found unconvincing.

The NHRC has given the Odisha government four weeks to respond. If no reply is received, the Commission will proceed with appropriate actions, assuming the government has no objections.