Complaints before the Commission ■ Shanker. It was alleged that a forester was also shot dead by the ofTicials of the forest department, led by a Forest Ranger, who had spread a reign of terror in the forest area of Bodal Nakka. The complainant sought impartial investigation into the incident and payment of adequate compensation to the dependents of Devi Shanker. The Commission took cognizance of the complaint and issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the DGP, Rajasthan, calling for their reports. In response, the SP, Sawai Madhopur, Rajastlian, submitted a report stating that a Case No. 92/96 was registered under Section 302/342/323/504 IPC with regard to the death of Devi Shanker, who was shot dead by forest officials. After investigation of the case, the accused persons, Parvinder Singh and Badan Singh, were arrested and a charge-sheet was filed against them in the court. The death of the forester was also investigated, and after investigation, a Case No. 93/96 was registered under Section 147/148/149/448/353/332/324/307 IPC. Having noted that two cases were registered with regard to the allegations made by the complainant, the Commission asked the SP, Sawai Madhopur, to apprise it of the present stage of these cases. The Commission directed that a departmental enquiry also be initiated against the accused Forest Ranger for dereliction of duty in the gunning down of an innocent person, Devi Shanker. The Commission further directed the Government of Rajasthan to pay a sum of Rs. 4 lakhs as compensation to tlie next of kin of the deceased, within four weeks. Further, the Commission asked the Government of Rajasthan to release an amount ofRs. 50,000/- immediately, and the rest of the amount to be deposited in a nationalised bank on a long-term basis, and the interest earned n thereon to be paid monthly to the next of kin of the deceased. Death of 64 innocent labourers and destruction in a village owing to negligence: Bihar (Case No. 5910/95-96/NHRC) The Commission received a complaint finm Shri Rakhohari Biswas, a resident of Village Lakaruka, Dhanbad, Bihar, alleging that 64 workers had been killed owing to the flooding of water in the Gajlitand colliery, and that villages located in the surrounding area were affected by a poisonous gas. Further, it was stated that cultivable land was destroyed following a fire inside the coal mines, tvhich also led to cracks in the houses of the villagers. The complainant alleged that the concerned authorities, namely, the management of the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) and the Director General (Mines Safety), Dhanbad, were insensitive to the situation, and that he feared a danger to the lives of the villagers. In response to tlie Commission's notice, the Government of Bihar reported that there were cracks on the walls of some houses, and that the leakage of poisonous gas was continuing in small quantities. As regards the destruction of cultivable land, it was stated that cultivation had been discontinued for a long period in that area prior to the incident. The Commission noted that the State Government's report clearly brought out that an untoward incident, affecting the lives and property of villagers could readily occur, 125