Cuttack, Feb. 18: The father of a 12-year-old girl, who was raped and murdered by a teacher of her school over two years ago, has moved the Orissa High Court for a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. The petition follows conviction of the teacher by the trial court.

Biranchi Narayan Sahu of Polsara in Ganjam district has sought the compensation on the ground that her daughter died due to the criminal act inside the government school and the authorities had failed to ensure her safety.

Trying to make out a case for compensation, Sahu stated that the death of his only daughter at such a tender age had caused “intense trauma and agony” and “irreparable loss” to his family which includes his wife and two younger sons.

“Had the hapless girl not died in such cruel and tragic circumstances, she would have completed her studies and after growing up, would have supported the family and contributed to the society as a responsible citizen. But all these possibilities were extinguished by the aforesaid criminal act of a teacher who was supposed to teach and guide his students including the deceased,” the petition contended.“After a preliminary hearing, the two judge bench of Chief Justice V. Gopala Gowda and Justice B.N. Mohapatra has admitted the petition and issued notice to the state government,” petitioner counsel Prabir Das told The Telegraph today.

“While issuing the notice yesterday, the court expected a reply from the state government within two weeks showing cause as to why compensation should not be paid in the case,” Das said.

According to the petition, Shibani, a Class VII student of Government Project U.P. School, Nimina, was found dead inside the school toilet with injuries on her private parts at 11.30 am on September 30, 2008.

A case was registered at the Polsara police station for rape and murder against a teacher of the school. Finding prima facie evidence after autopsy and medical examination of accused, police arrested Santha Charan Pattanaik on October 3, 2008 and a chargesheet in the case was subsequently filed in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kodala. The case was later committed to sessions trial.

On July 27, 2010, the court of the sessions judge, Ganjam-Gajapati, in Berhampur, convicted Santha Charan Pattanaik and sentenced him to undergo concurrently life imprisonment and seven years rigorous imprisonment for murder and rape respectively.

Earlier, the petitioner had claimed Rs 10 lakh compensation through petitions to the chief minister, the chief secretary, the commissioner-cum-secretary, school and mass education department and secretary, women and child development department.

“But no action was taken in the regard by the said authorities,” the petition said.