Nuapada: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has awarded compensation to two tribal men assaulted by Special Protection Group (SPG) jawans engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the district.

The rights panel asked the state government to award Rs 1 lakh to each of the victims, who were allegedly meted out third degree on suspicion of being Maoist informers, as compensation.

Rights activist Radhankanta Tripathy had earlier drawn the attention on the para-military forces' custodial torture on three innocent tribal people.

The security forces picked up three tribal settlers were picked up on August 18, 2015, from Loharpali village under Khadiala block in the district on suspicion of being Maoist sympathisers. They detained the trio, alleging that they were providing feedback to the ultras on combing operation by security forces.

While Sahu died in custody, Nurtyan Nayak and Narendra suffered serious life-threatening injuries.

As the tale of torture became public, the state government was forced to initiate coercive action by arresting the four jawans accused of torturing the villagers.

The jawans - Khushi Ram Bhoi, Kamdev Pradhan, S. Kujur and Pramod Jagdala - are currently facing trial and have been placed under suspension. The government had earlier awarded Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia compensation to family members of the deceased. It had also borne Nayak's Rs 2,88,214 treatment cost.

The panel said it recommended the compensation in respect of the injury suffered by the victim due to police action. The state is, of course, responsible for giving medical treatment to the injured and that too when the injury sustained by the victim was due to assault by the police, it said.

Accordingly, the commission recommended the chief secretary to pay Rs 1 lakh each to the injured duo within eight weeks.