DJ Halli riots: Claims Commission to submit report in 2 months

Two years after the KG Halli and DJ Halli riots, the citizens who lost property, valuables, and vehicles during the incident are finally close to receiving compensation for the damages they suffered.

The riots took place on August 11, 2020. A mob protesting against an alleged offensive FB post torched the KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations, hundreds of vehicles, and many buildings in East Bengaluru.

The Claims Commission, which was appointed by the Karnataka High Court on August 28, 2020, has completed recording the statements, cross-examining 116 people and is expected to submit its final report within the next two months.

Speaking to DH, commissioner of the Claims Commission Justice H S Kempanna said: “Examining the witness was the crucial part in ascertaining the truth behind their claims. We have recorded and examined all the 90 claimants along with the Motor Vehicles Inspectors who assessed the damages to vehicles, property assessors who determined the amount of damages to properties, and 16 police officers who had investigated the cases”.

The commission has received 90 applications claiming compensation for 102 vehicles and 17 properties. According to the claims submitted, the damages go up to Rs 4.49 crore. However, the officials from the commission said the claimants may not receive the same amount as compensation.

“The amount of compensation the claimants should receive will be determined based on the report by the assessors and the deductions the commission has drawn during the cross-examination of the claimants,” an official said.

Many people have also claimed to have lost gold and silver jewellery, cash, and other valuables. Officials added that several of them have reported damages to refrigerators, television sets, electrical appliances, and household articles, and verifying all their claims was a challenging task.

Justice Kempanna said this was a first-of-its-kind commission in Karnataka and determining the modus operandi is a challenge. “We have been entrusted with a unique task. Since such a commission has not worked before, we are working out ways to determine the facts and it is a challenging task,” he added.