HC awards compensation, directs job for woman attacked by temple elephant 20 years ago

The Madras High Court bench here hasawarded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a job for a womanwhose food pipe and windpipe were damaged in an elephantattack at Samayapuram Mariamman temple in 1999 when she wasthree years old.

Justice Krishnan Ramasamy, who heard the case via videolink recently, found Sindhu Lakshmi struggling to speak due tothe damage.

He said the petitioner suffered injuries due to thenegligence of the temple officials and the compensation beingclaimed by the petitioner was for violation of fundamentalrights.

This was a fit case where the court would be justified inawarding monetary compensation of Rs one crore, since thewoman, daughter of a government transport worker, had takentreatment at various private and government hospitals, thecourt said.

However it was awarding Rs 25 lakh.

The woman had applied for a job under compassionategrounds also.

The petitioner had faced emotional suffering and spent onmedical expenses for 20 years, but nothing had been receivedfrom the respondents, the court said.

It directed that she be provided a job within eight weeksin the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endownments departmentand the monetary compensation within four weeks.