Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has reaffirmed its earlier directive recommending a compensation of ₹50,000 to a woman who was injured by a stray bullet near her residence in Maulinguem in 2021. The Commission dismissed a review petition filed by the Director General of Police and the officer in charge of the Maulinguem Firing Station.
In an order issued on Tuesday, GHRC Acting Chairperson Desmond D’Costa and Member Pramod Kamat stated that the review plea failed to present any new evidence or errors that would justify overturning the Commission’s findings in its February 22, 2024, report. The plea, filed on August 14, 2024, under the Goa Human Rights Commission (Procedure) Regulations, 2011, was found to be unsubstantiated.
The Commission noted that the arguments put forth by the police—such as the presence of a hillock and a mud barrier behind the firing range that would prevent bullets from travelling beyond the target—had already been reviewed during the original inquiry. These points, it said, were not new and had formed part of the respondents’ initial submissions.
Advocate Pooja Kamat, representing the complainant Urmila Gaonkar, argued that the respondents had not introduced any fresh or significant information to justify a review. The Commission concurred, stating that no new facts or clear errors had been identified, both of which are essential for invoking review powers.
The incident in question took place on January 27, 2021, when Gaonkar sustained a gunshot wound to her right heel while washing clothes in the courtyard of her home. She was later treated at Goa Medical College, where she underwent surgery on February 3, 2021, to extract the bullet.
In its order, the Commission found that the injury resulted from negligent firing practices and constituted a breach of Gaonkar’s human rights. It acknowledged the pain, suffering, and loss of livelihood she endured for more than three months due to the injury.
The Commission has instructed the DGP to ensure compliance with the compensation directive within 30 days from February 22, 2024. Additionally, it ordered that interest at 6% per annum be paid from the date of the complaint—June 7, 2022—until the final settlement is made. The DGP has also been asked to submit a report detailing action taken or proposed by May 23, 2025.
