It’s been nearly three months since Delhi police constable Amit Kumar died of complications related to COVID-19, the first death due to the virus in the force, but his family is yet to receive ex gratia compensation of ₹1 crore announced by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Efforts were made to seek the response of Delhi government spokespersons on the relief but they remained unavailable for comment.
Kumar’s wife Pooja, who is four months pregnant, has also lost her job as a teacher at a municipal corporation school because her contract has not been renewed. She and her three-year-old son had also tested positive for the virus a couple of days after Kumar’s death and had to be admitted to a quarantine centre. It was there that Ms. Pooja learnt about her second pregnancy.
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‘All papers submitted’
Speaking to
“In May, after I returned from the quarantine centre, my father-in-law and I submitted all the documents they had asked for, including cheque book, passbook and Aadhaar card ,” she said.
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A few weeks later, a police officer called and asked for another certificate, which they promptly arranged and handed over to the department. “We had a word with the officer about 15 days ago and he told us that the file has been submitted,” said Ms. Pooja, adding that they were also informed that a “death audit committee” is yet to take action.
“Recently, a civil defence volunteer, Arun Kumar, died after contracting COVID-19. We are very happy that his family has already received the amount. We are just wondering why nothing has happened in our case,” Ms. Pooja’s brother Ravi said.
Police sources said that a few queries had come which were attended to and the required documents have been submitted to the government department concerned.
On May 7, two days after Kumar’s death, the Chief Minister had tweeted: “Amit ji did not care for his life and kept serving us Delhi people. He got infected with corona and passed away. I pay homage to his sacrifice on behalf of all Delhi people. An ex gratia of Rs one crore will be given to his family.”
Ms. Pooja said her contract as a teacher in a North MCD school expired on May 10. “I was hopeful that it will be renewed, but other teachers tell me that they have been informed that their contract is over because of funds paucity,” she said.
Ms. Pooja is worried about her children’s future. She is currently living with her parents in Sonipat. “They are taking care of our needs at the moment. But I get scared thinking about our future.”