Beas Tragedy: HP Court Orders Electricty Board & VNR College To Pay 5 Lakh As Interim Relief

Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered both the VNR Vigana Jyothi College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad and HP State Electricity Board  hand interim relief of Rs 5 lakh to each of the parents of 24 engineering students who lost there lives in the accident on 8 June.

The college and the state electricity board had been directed to deposit 50% each of the interim relief with the court by 9 July. The court would directly monitor the investigation of FIR registering the accident and appointed senior advocate Dilip Sharma as Amicus Curiae to assist the court in the case.

The bench directed Superintendent Police, Mandi to file status of investigation by or before 9 July, the next hearing date.

Before granting interim relief, the court observed, “till the investigation is taken to its logical end by the investigating officer and other officers, who are dealing with the issue at various levels and till the disposal of this petition, we deem it proper to exercise inherent powers to grant interim relief to the unfortunate parents, who are hapless, helpless, are broken and shaken.”

After noting the facts of the case and the inquiry report submitted on courts orders by Onkar Sharma, the divisional commissioner of Mandi, the court prima facie held that there was evidence for holding HP State Electricity Board, its officials and the engineering college responsible for negligence by way of which 24 budding engineers lost their lives.