No solatium for kin of policeman who died while saving bike-borne youth in TN
TIRUCHY: The family of a 45-year-old traffic police personnel, who over the years earned several accolades for his meritorious service, has knocked the doors of the police department seeking financial assistance from the state government after he died earlier this month in an accident near Mannarpuram in the district.
A Sridhar, who was head constable attached to Ariyamangalam police station, was on duty near Mannapuram bridge around 10 pm on July 30 when two youth passing on a bike accidentally dropped their helmet. Sridhar, who picked up the helmet, noticed a speeding car headed towards them and pushed the duo away from harm’s way. The car, however, hit Sridhar and left him grievously injured, police sources said.
On August 1, Sridhar succumbed to injuries in hospital. With no solatium or condolence message from the state government over the passing of the police personnel who was even part of the special task force constituted to nab the forest brigand, Veerappan, Sridhar’s wife S Sumithra Devi (43) and their two children aged 17 and 7 are forced to rely on their relatives and borrow money to run everyday life. Sumithra Devi, who is a homemaker, pointed out that her husband received various awards from the state government for his meritorious service.
While Sridhar’s family members said the lone assistance they obtained in recognition of his service was the Rs 50,000 they received from the police department, the late personnel’s colleagues in Tiruchy pointed at Chief Minister MK Stalin’s announcement of a solatium of Rs 25 lakh for the family of police personnel Palanivel (38) who died in an accident on August 3 during a vehicle inspection in Thanjavur.
While the Thanjavur cop’s family was granted the solatium, why has Sridhar’s family been ignored, they asked. The state government should consider Sridhar’s family’s request for financial assistance and provide a government job for his son, they added.
Tiruchy City Commissioner of Police N Kamini expressed concern for the deceased police personnel and his family. On the petition for financial assistance received from the family, she said it had been forwarded to Collector M Pradeep Kumar and added that it was under consideration.