The ten-year-long wait of the family of slain assistant sub-inspector Basvantappa, for compensation is finally over. Basvantappa was stabbed to death while on duty in Gulbarga city by an autorickshaw driver in October 2004. Kasturibai, wife of the police officer, was handed over a cheque of Rs. 5 lakh by the Superintendent of Police Amit Singh on Tuesday.
The Hindu had reported the plight of Basvantappa’s family, who was running from pillar to post to get compensation due to them, in these columns on January 18. Responding quickly to the report, the district police administration handed over the cheque of Rs. 5 lakh to Kasturibai.
Though there was a clear direction from the State government, issued in the form of a government circular in August 2003 that police personnel laying down their lives while on duty should be paid a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh, Basvantappa’s family was not paid compensation.
The autorickshaw driver, Shivaji, who committed the murder, was sentenced to life by the local court. What the family of Basvantappa got was the statutory benefits due to them and a job on compassionate grounds for his eldest son, as a First Division Clerk in the Revenue Department. The family had submitted several petitions to all the superintendents of police who served the district from the time of his death.
The death of police sub-inspector Mallikarjun Bande in the shootout with notorious contract killer Munna Darbadar and the announcement of Rs. 50 lakh compensation to his family, gave an opportunity to Basvantappa’s family to highlight their plight.
