Comolaints before the Commission Police firing on Dalits: Jiimil Nadu (Case No. 172/95-96/NHRC) A complaint dated 28 February 1995 ^vas received from Shri P. Kamnayya, Organiser and Treasiorer, Adi Dravida Welfare Rights Sangh, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, which said that two persons belonging to the scheduled castes from Village Vashistpuram, District South Arcot, were shot dead by the Tamil Nadu police on 17 January 1995, while they were trying to protect others of their community, who were being lathi-charged by the police on trying to hoist a flag of Dr. Ambedkar in the street. The allegation was that the police even helped members of other castes to ransack the homes of those belonging to the scheduled castes. Media persons were not allowed to file any report on the matter in the newspapers. The Commission took cognizance of the complaint and sought a report from the DGP, Tamil Nadu. Although a report was received from the DGP, the Commission was not satisfied with it, and directed the Director General (Investigation) of the Commission to enquire into the matter. On enquiry, it was found that the clashes had taken place not on 17 January 1995, but on 19 January 1995. The police had fired two rounds, causing injury to Jyoti and Mahindra, who were hospitalised and later discharged. However, in the clash, the mob of non-Adi Dravidars had beaten to death two persons, Shri Shanmugham and Shri Ramesh. The police had registered the complaint and charge-sheeted the accused persons. The Commission considered the report of the Director General (Investigation) and directed the ChiefSecretary, Government ofTamil Nadu, to pay Rs. 1 lakh as compensation to the wife of the deceased, Shri Shanmugham, and to give her a job to earn her livelihood. It was also directed that Rs. 1 lakh should be paid as compensation to the father of the deceased, Shri Ramesh, who was also a victim of mob anger. Of the Rs. 1 lakh to he paid to them, it was directed that Rs. 20,000/- may be paid straight away, and the balance Rs. 80,000/- kept in a long-term fixed deposit in a nationalised bank, with the interest earned being paid to them every month. The Commission also directed that Rs. 30,000/- each be paid to Shri Jyoti, son of Shri Muthu; and Shri Mahindra, son of Shri Peruman, who suffered bullet injuries at the hands of the police. Of this, a sum of Rs. 5,000/- should be paid in cash and the balance of Rs. 25,000/- placed in a long-term fixed deposit in a nationalised bank with interest thereof to be paid to them every month. The Government ofTamil Nadu was directed to monitor the prosecution of all those accused and to submit a report to the Commission. Rehabilitation of physically handicapped: Madhya Pradesh (Case No. 1528/96-97/NHRC) Shri Bihari Lai Thevait, a resident of District Bilaspur, Madhya Pradesh, sent a pedtion to the Commission, wherein he said that he was a 26-year-old man whose lower limbs had been afiected by polio. He also suffered from a cardiac problem. He had approached 139