Insurance firm seeks documents of railway cop killed on duty

Ahinave lost his life in February last year,when he was run over by a train while chasing a mobile thief across the railway tracks between Bandra and Mahim. When Ahinave’s family claimed his insurance cover of Rs 2.5 lakh,the insurance company rejected the claim,stating that he was killed while crossing the railway tracks and as crossing tracks is illegal,they were not liable to pay the insurance.

“We received a fax today from the insurance office in Satara asking us to submit certain documents like the statement of the colleague constable,who was witness to the circumstances surrounding the death of Laxman Ahinave and we will be sending them the required documents,which might help the Ahinave family get their insurance claim,” GRP Commissioner Tukaram Chavan said.

Ahinave’s widow Alka,who stays with her three children at Diwa,said,“I have not heard anything about release of payment so far but have got to know that the insurance company has got back to the GRP asking for certain documents and I have been told that things are looking hopeful now.”

Since Ahinave’s death,Alka had been maintaining her family on a pension of Rs 6,000. “Things had been difficult as all three of my children (two daughters and a son) are studying and it was quite a difficult to make ends meet. The insurance money,if released would definitely improve the situation,” she said

Meanwhile,Kalwa-Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad and his workers locked down Oriental Insurance office on Gokhale Road in Thane after ushering out everyone from inside. Awhad had given the office a 24-hour notice to release the payment. “On Wednesday evening,our workers protested outside the Oriental Insurance office in Thane and locked the premises. The insurance company should not avoid their responsibility to pay the insurance to Ahinave’s family,” Awhad said.