Says accommodation was not provided as they had option to report at any of 61 centres nearest to their home
The state government said on Monday that candidates participating in the police recruitment test conducted recently had the option of reporting to a centre near their hometown and were not required to come to Mumbai, therefore they were not provided accommodation.
The government made this submission before the Bombay high court in response to a notice issued by a division bench, following a letter from the All Maharashtra Human Rights Welfare Association (AMHRWA) demanding action against the authorities responsible for the death of five candidates. It has also demanded compensation for the boys' families and those candidates who are undergoing treatment in hospital.
Additional government pleader Milind More informed the court that there were a total 61 centres across the state where the test was conducted and the candidates could have opted for any of them.
For example, a candidate living in Ratnagiri could report to the centre nearest to Ratnagiri and did not require to come all the way to Mumbai. "Therefore, no provision for accommodation was made," More said.
Many of the candidates who participated in a five km fitness run on June 11 collapsed and five of them died, setting off a debate on the requirement for such a stiff test and the arrangements.
Ambadas Sonawane, 23, from Malegaon (Nashik district) and Saiprasad Mali, 22, from Virar, died on June 11. Vishal Kedar, 25, from Thane died a couple of days later. A fourth candidate, Rahul Sakpal, 22, died while undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, on June 14. The fifth, Gahinath Adinath Latpate, died on June 17 at Platinum Hospital, Mulund.
The AMHRWA had stated in its letter to the chief justice that several candidates who had come from other parts of the state had not been provided accommodation and had to sleep in the open. The candidates were not even provided basic necessities like water. It has sought a stay on the recruitment process.
The court had issued notices to the state government, additional home secretary and the director general of police. On Monday, the court asked the director general of police and the police commissioner to file their replies within two weeks, when it will hear the matter again.
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