Bombay High Court “Shocked” After Woman Who Fought Tiger And Won Bravery Certificate Awarded Pittance In Compensation

The Bombay High Court has awarded Rs. 1 lakh compensation to a woman for the trauma of surviving a tiger attack and expressed shock at the casual manner in which forest officials wrote off the bravery awardee’s wounds as ‘simple injuries.’

A division bench comprising Justices Rohit Deo and Vrushali Joshi set side the order of the Assistant Conservator of Forest.

“We are shocked with the decision taken by the Assistant Conservator of Forrest considering the injuries sustained in Tiger attack as simple injuries and calculating the amount of Rs.10,000/- towards compensation when the Government has honoured her by giving Bravery Certificate.”

On January 24, 2017 Kavita Kokode, a farmer in Chandrapur District in Maharashtra went to collect Tur seeds when she was attacked by a fully grown tiger and was seriously injured. She was helped by some other labourers and spent over four days in the hospital.

Kokode claimed that because of tiger attack she has become mentally disturbed, unable to perform any professional work or even household work. Her right hand is severely affected and she is unable to get any work done.

However, after she filed an application with the forest department, she received only Rs. 10,000 as compensation. Her wounds were categorised as simple injuries. She assailed this compensation amount before the High Court. Her counsel submitted that it was the forest department’s duty to protect the lives of innocent people residing in nearby villages and to compensate the injured. Moreover, the Government had given the petitioner a Bravery Certificate for fighting off the fully grown Tiger.

In response the State said that the Assistant Conservator of Forest concluded the woman suffered simple injuries, accordingly Rs. 4,000 was given to her at the time of taking treatment and another Rs. 6,000 subsequently.

“Considering the trauma received by her without considering the nature of injury whether simple or grievous, the respondents should have to consider the attack by the wild animal that too the Tiger, she is entitled to receive Rs.1,00,000/- as per the Government Resolution,” the bench said.

Case title - Kavita w/o. Waman Kokode vs Govt of Maha

Case no. WP 1670 of 2020

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