Mangalore : SP Abhishek Goyal speaking at the monthly SC/ST grievance meeting held in his office on Sunday said that victims of crime can now claim compensation according to the provisions of the Karnataka Victims’ Compensation Scheme.

Revealing further details, he said that crime victims who have sustained physical injuries are eligible to claim compensation under this scheme, which allows people to claim anywhere in the range of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 2 lakh if they are the victims of 30 types of crimes such as rape, assault, murder, dowry death, sexual harassment, manslaughter, and others. However, the victim’s body must show signs of injury, he added, stating that the scheme provides no compensation for victims of accidents and robbery.

Shivappa R., president of the Ambedkar Pratishtana (state unit),  said that the unsolved case of Shivappa Bangera, an employee of Mangalore University, who was murdered in 2001, must be re-opened. Mr. Bangera was also the president of the Dalit Workers’ Association in the university.

Mr. Goyal replied that the police need the court’s permission to re-open this case. Moreover, re-opening the case without any proof, evidence, or witness is very difficult. The SP informed Mr. Shivappa that the case can be re-opened in case any fresh evidence has been found.