The Odisha Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the parents of a man who died during the police constable recruitment and physical endurance test more than nine years back.
24-year-old Harekrishna Sahu appeared in the recruitment process for appointment to the post of Constable in the 9th IR Battalion (Special) on 22 January 2017. During the physical endurance test consisting of a 1600 meters run conducted at OSAP (6th Battalion) ground Cuttack, the candidate collapsed on the ground immediately after completing the run and died.
Considering the age of the deceased, the circumstances in which the death occurred, and prevailing judicial and human rights compensation standards, the Commission recommended that the government of Odisha shall pay a sum of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the parents of the deceased. The amount shall be paid within eight weeks from the date of receipt of this order, together with interest at the rate of 6% per annum with effect from 23 January 2017 till the date of actual payment, and the daughter of the complainant may be considered for an employment in the police establishment on compassionate ground, the OHRC ordered.
It is also relevant to observe that the incident in question is not a solitary one. Such incidents have become recurring, taking the life of many employment aspirants during the course of physical tests. So, the government is further directed to ensure mandatory pre-medical fitness screening of candidates appearing in physical tests, deployment of ambulances with life-support facilities and qualified medical personnel at recruitment venues, framing and strict enforcement of standard operating procedures for medical emergencies, coordination with nearby Government hospitals, training and sensitization of recruitment staff, and fixation of accountability in cases of deviation from prescribed protocols, the rights panel further ordered.
The state government, through Home Department and the DG – cum- IG Police, Odisha, Cuttack shall submit a compliance-cum-action taken report before this Commission within three months, the OHRC concluded in the order.