The state government has amended the rules for police recruitment to prevent a repeat of last year, when five candidates died and many other collapsed reportedly due to dehydration.
The state government has amended the rules for police recruitment to prevent a repeat of last year, when five candidates died and many other collapsed reportedly due to dehydration.
The five aspirants had collapsed during a 5-km run, which was part of the physical fitness test for recruitment, which was held on June 11 last year. Fifteen others, including five women, had also . One of the major amendments is that the distance of this run has been reduced from 5 km to 3 km for men and from 3 km to 1 km for women.
The Bombay high court had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the issue following a letter by the All Maharashtra Human Rights Welfare Association (AMHRWA). The letter sought action against the concerned authorities and compensation for families of the victims. A few other petitions were also filed seeking better facilities during such recruitment drives.
On Monday, government pleader Milind More informed a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice BP Colabawalla that they have amended the rules, which he assured will be implemented during the next police recruitment drive in 2016. No recruitment will be done this year, he said.
Of the five candidates who died, one had died of dengue. More informed HC that the candidate had not informed about his illness when he was taking the test. The government has also disbursed Rs 25 lakh as compensation to families of these five candidates.
A committee headed by the director general of police (DGP) will be formed before the recruitment drive to ensure all rules are being followed.
An intervention petition was filed by activist Ruju Thakker on the matter giving various suggestions. One of them was that the police grounds at Ghatkopar or Naigaon should be used for training. Training is usually carried out on service roads or pumping stations.
The HC has asked the committee to consider Thakker's suggestion during the next recruitment drive.
While the petitions claimed that no medical facilities had been provided to the candidates, the state denied any lapse on its part. At all times, the government maintained that it had followed rules and claimed that the police department had made arrangements for oral rehydration packets, fruits, water tanks and adequate sanitary facilities.
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