In a humane gesture, the Andaman and Nicobar police have come to the aid of the widows and next of kin of policemen, who perished while saving others during the tsunami last December.
Inspector General of Police, S B Deol told a press conference on Thursday that the police department had lost 14 of its members, besides three home guards in the killer waves, which swept the islands on December 26.
The department has recommended the name of constable Sanjib for President's Gallantry award, posthumously. He was killed by the waves after saving the lives of many civlians, Deol said. His widow, Deepika, has been provided with two housing plots.
The widows and next of kins of other police personnel were also provided with possible departmental financial assistance, including pension, grants, loans etc even if their relevant documents were reported to be washed away in the calamities, the IGP said.
Elaborating the measures taken by every member of the police force of the Union Territory, the IGP said each member of the force made voluntary contribution to the Police Tsunami Fund to purchase pieces of land for the widows and others. Deol himself and the IRB battalion commander Mahavir Singh have also contributed a month's salary.
A 200 sq metre plot, costing Rs 1 lakh, has been given to each of the widows or family member of the deceased policemen.
In another move aimed at helping the families of the deceased policemen, they have been offered jobs as constables if the essential qualifications and physical standards given a one-time relaxation on compassionate grounds, he said.
Referring to reports of incidents of poaching in Andaman waters, the IGP said despite being handicapped by scarcity of patrol boats, the police department were trying its best to check such incidents.
The entire top top brass of the police was present at the press conference of the IGP at Green Valley, Sippighat, in the islands.
