Maharashtra: Kin of 104 cops who died of Covid this year await compensation

None of the families of the 104 policemen, who lost their lives to Covid-19 this year, have received any compensation from the state government, as the state scheme for providing financial aid of ₹50 lakh to each of the families of such policemen has not been renewed after December 2020

None of the families of the 104 policemen, who lost their lives to Covid-19 this year, have received any compensation from the state government, as the state scheme for providing financial aid of ₹50 lakh to each of the families of such policemen has not been renewed after December 2020.

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As a result, some of the families of deceased cops are facing serious issues.

Kavita Mahale, 30, wife of Sanjay Mahale, a constable posted with Nardana police station in Dhule, is now at the mercy of her parents, as she was finding it difficult to provide basic necessities for her two children after her husband’s demise. Sanjay succumbed to the disease on March 25 and his father passed away after eight days. Sanjay’s mother had already died six months ago due to a prolonged illness.

“In just six months, I lost my husband and both in-laws. I moved back to my parent’s place in Nandurbar as there is none left in my late husband’s family who would take care of us. Now, my children and I are completely dependent on my parents. I haven’t received a single penny from the government yet. How am I supposed to feed my children and raise them? I have also applied for a job on behalf of my husband, but by the time I get the job I still have to feed my children. The solatium could be very helpful,” said Kavita in tears.

Gaurav Wani, an engineering student and son of head constable Sanjay Wani, who was posted with Kolshewadi police station in Kalyan, is equally perplexed. Three months have passed since his father’s death due to Covid, but the family hasn’t yet received any compensation from the state.

“My father died of Covid-19 on January 19 at Vedanta Hospital in Thane, and now the responsibility of the family is on my shoulders,” said Gaurav, a third-year engineering student. His sister is also a college student.

Similar is the case of the family of head constable Ramesh Survase from Chunabhatti police station who died last month due to Covid. Survase’s brother Vishnu said the compensation money would help his brother’s wife take care of her two children aged 17 and 12 years.

A senior IPS officer said the scheme for financial aid to families of deceased policemen has ended in December 2020 and hasn’t been renewed thereafter.

Sanjeev Singhal, additional director general of police (administration) said, “We have written to the government requesting that funds be released so that the grieving families of deceased policemen could get much needed financial aid.”

During the initial days of the pandemic, many police personnel pressed into Covid-related work had contracted the virus and were falling sick. The disease was spreading among the police force rapidly, and thus there was a sense fear and panic among the men in khaki. Later, the state government announced a financial help to the families of deceased policemen with ₹50 lakh solatium and a government job to one family member. Mumbai Police went a step ahead and announced an additional ₹10 lakh fund for each family from police welfare funds. So far, hundreds of families got benefits and many family members even got jobs in the police force.

Though the fatalities in police department remained limited to 12 a month from January to March this year, in April more than 6,000 personnel contracted the disease and 68 of them succumbed, making April the second-deadliest month after September 2020 for the police department.