CM Arvind Kejriwal announces Rs 1 crore aid for family of Delhi cop who died of Covid-19

The constable, who was posted at Bharat Nagar police station in northwest Delhi, was on duty till Monday. He developed flu-like symptoms and was taken to two hospitals by colleagues, before being taken to RML hospital, where has declared dead on arrival.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Delhi government will give ₹1 crore aid to the family of the 31-year-old Delhi Police constable who died of Covid-19 on Tuesday.

Delhi Police officials seen outside the New Delhi railway station as migrant workers arrive to board the Shramik Express for their journey to home. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

In a tweet, Kejriwal said the police constable kept “serving the people of Delhi without fearing about risks to his life at the time of such a health crisis. He was infected with the virus while serving us and later died. I pay him tribute on behalf of all residents of Delhi. The government shall help his family with an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 1 crore.”

The constable, who was posted at Bharat Nagar police station in northwest Delhi, was on duty till Monday. He developed flu-like symptoms and was taken to two hospitals by colleagues, before being taken to RML hospital, where has declared dead on arrival.

He had tested positive at a private lab. Vijayanta Arya, deputy commissioner of police (north-west), said the constable’s test had returned positive from RML Hospital as well, where he was tested a second time following his death.

The constable was cremated at the Punjabi Bagh crematorium on Thursday in the presence of some senior police officers and his family.

The constable was a resident of Haryana’s Sonepat and is survived by his wife and three-year-old son. His wife is a contractual teacher at a North Delhi Municipal Corporation primary school.

Her relatives on Wednesday said they have asked north municipality officials to make her a permanent employee.

“She has her whole life ahead. Some teachers, on our behalf, have also placed a request with senior north municipality officials for her to be made a permanent employee.”

The north municipality mayor, Avtar Singh, said there is no precedent for such an appointment. “This is different from postings on compassionate grounds where the spouse or child of a deceased, who was already serving in our corporations, is given a job. However, looking at the sacrifice this policeman made, we will definitely write to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) to allow us to make Pooja permanent at work,” Singh said.

Delhi L-G Anil Baijal on Wednesday tweeted that “his sacrifice in the fight against COVID-19 will always be remembered” and that he was “a great warrior who brought glory to the frontline police personnel fighting against pandemic”.