Bhanumati Baidya v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

M/L 338 08.05.2025 Court No.14 PRADIP

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

CONSTITUTIONAL WRIT JURISDICTION WPA 4140 of 2024 Smt. Bhanumati Baidya Vs.

State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Musharoff Hossain Mr. M. Bandyopadhyay Ms. Tapasi Das ...for the Petitioner.

Mr. Shantanu Mitra Mr. S. Paul ...for the State.

1. Affidavit of service filed in Court today is taken on record.

2. The husband of the petitioner died of tiger attack when he went for catching fish and crab in the Sunderban area. The petitioner prays for grant of compensation in terms of the Forest Department's memo no. 1/123199/2021 dated 26th February, 2021.

3. Similar issue has been decided by the Court in WPA 21596 of 2024 (Binarani Mandal Vs. The State of West Bengal) vide judgment dated 9th April, 2025.

4. The post mortem report of the deceased mentions about injuries caused by the attack of the tiger. Accordingly, the decision passed in the matter of Binarani Mandal (supra) will be applicable in the instant case.

5. the instant writ petition is disposed of by directing the Conservator of Forests and Field Director being the respondent no. 2 herein to pay compensation to the heirs of the deceased Basudeb Baidya in accordance with the order passed by the Deputy Secretary, Government of West Bengal, Department of Forests vide memo no. 1/123199/2021 dated 26th February, 2021 at the earliest but positively within a period of eight weeks from the date of communication of this order.

6. The writ petition stands disposed of.

7. Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance of all the requisite formalities.

(Amrita Sinha, J.)