Naxalite Varghese’s kin get ₹50-lakh damages

The government has sanctioned a compensation of ₹50 lakh to be paid to the four siblings of Naxalite leader A. Varghese who was shot dead by the police in the Tirunelli forest in 1970. The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the recommendation of the Secretary-level committee to compensate the family. The amount would be disbursed to Varghese's brothers A. Thomas and A. Joseph and sisters Mariyakutty and Annamma. The family had moved the High Court after it came to light that Varghese was killed by the police in a false encounter. The court directed the family to submit a memorandum to the government seeking compensation. The killing of Varghese became a sensational case after constable P. Ramachandran Nair confessed that it was he who had shot dead Varghese on instructions from the then Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Lakshmana.