Imphal, April 27 2009: In connection with a police firing incident at Imphal last year which left a woman injured, Gauhati High Court today issued notices to the State respondents asking them to reply within six weeks.

The notices of the Court followed a writ petition filed by one Kumudini Devi, a vegetable vendor who sustained bullet injury on her right foot after State police commandos resorted to indiscriminate firing while she was doing business at the crowded Keishampat junction on July 20 last year.

Kumudini had filed the writ petition under the initiative of Imphal unit of the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) .

In her writ petition, Kumudini said two unknown youths were killed in the said incident.

However, the police commandos while submitting report on the incident to the Officer-in-Charge of Imphal Police Station did not mention anything about causing injuries to her.

The petitioner further said that she had spent over Rs one lakh while undergoing treatment of the bullet injuries on her right leg at hospitals in Imphal for over 45 days but her right foot has become permanently disabled.

On October 10, 208 Kumudini had submitted a representation to the Deputy Commissioner of Imphal West claiming compensation/ex-gratia and demanding punishment of the police commandos responsible for causing injuries to her.

Three days later she submitted a similar representation to the Principal Secretary (Home) claiming Rs two lakh as compensation.

But she had not received any response to her representations.

After hearing the writ petition today, the Court headed by Justice UB Saha issued the notice of motion to the State respondents asking them to reply within six weeks.

The listed State respondents include Principal Secretary (Home), Director General of Police and Superintendent of Police ( Imphal West) .

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