Bhubaneswar, Dec 13 (IANS): The Orissa High Court has directed the Puri civic body to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family members of a 4-year-old minor who was killed by a pack of stray dogs in Puri district in December 2016.

The court pronounced the order while hearing a plea filed by advocate Bibhuti Charan Mohanty.

When Satyabrata Rout, the deceased minor boy, was playing near his house at Jagannath Colony in Puri, the stray dogs mauled him to death. The incident took place on December 1, 2016.

He was rushed to the nearby hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

After coming across the incident reported in various newspapers, the petitioner filed a PIL in the high court, seeking financial compensation for the family.

Speaking to IANS, the petitioner's lawyer, Rajkishore Swain said the municipality authorities in their affidavit claimed that there is no legal provision under the the Orissa Municipal Act, 1950 to provide compensation to the family members of a person in case of death due to dog bite. Similarly, the municipality also tried to evade responsibility by saying that they have sterilised 3,600 stray dogs.

"The court relying on various judgements delivered by Chhattisgarh, Karnataka high courts and the Supreme Court, noted that the human rights of the victim had been violated in the case. Hence, the court directed the municipality to pay the compensation," Swain said.