Activists demand faster payout of compensation to atrocity victims

Activists under the banner of the Karnataka Victims Protection Society (KVPS) staged a protest to urge government officials to expedite the disbursement of compensation to victims of caste-based atrocities. The organisation said numerous cases remain pending despite victims having exhausted the legal process and proven their eligibility for relief.

The protest underscores a persistent challenge in implementing victim compensation schemes across India, where bureaucratic delays frequently prevent timely payouts to those who have suffered violence rooted in caste discrimination. KVPS representatives called on both state and central authorities to streamline administrative procedures and allocate sufficient budgetary resources to clear the backlog of pending claims.

Compensation for victims of atrocities is typically granted under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and various state-level victim assistance programmes. However, the gap between sanctioned awards and actual disbursement remains a significant issue affecting vulnerable communities across the region.

The organisation has demanded that authorities publish a timeline for clearing all outstanding compensation cases and establish a dedicated mechanism to prevent future delays in victim payments. Officials have yet to respond publicly to the protesters' demands.