Deceased cop’s family alleges that he died due to excessive work pressure.
The Mumbai Police is known as the nation’s most efficient police force but the long working hours is taking a heavy toll on the personnel. Ramesh MukutraoGaikwad (35) a Police Sub Inspector attached to theDeonar police station died yesterday due to heart attack.Family members of the deceased have alleged that Gaikwad died on account of heavy work load.Senior police officials too were pressurizing him.
Gaikwad is survived with his daughter and son along with wife who resides at building number 5, Government Colony, Bandra (East). As per the information provided by Ramesh’s relatives, he left his home yesterday and was heading towards police station. While walking Gaekwadsuffered heart attack and collapsed on the road. He was rushed to thenearbyGurunanak Hospital but wasdeclared dead before admission.
Ramesh Gaikwad was working with the Deonar Police Station from last year in thedetection department. Family members said that Gaikwad had an erratic work schedule which adversely affected his productivity.
A relative of Gaikwad who resides in the same building and is employed with thepolice department spoke to AV on the condition of anonymity and said, “Gaikwad was undergoing depression for last many due to excessive work pressure. He had a long working schedule on account of the LokSabha election. He was mentally disturbed due to tremendous work pressure. Senior officers used to pressurize him to work for long hours even though he was reluctant to do so.”
He used to quarrel with his family members for trivial reasons. Gaikwad used to get irritated due to the hectic work schedule.More than 21 families reside in the same building of the Government Colony and all of them are employed with the police department. On the condition of anonymity, another resident said that police officials had to work for long hours due to shortage of manpower. Many of them had become mentally disturbed due to irregular working hours.
The family of deceasedGaikwad has shifted to their native place inSatara. Kherwadi police station have registered a case of ADR and sent his body to Sion Hospital for autopsy.
A DCP rank officer spoke to AVon the condition of anonymity said, “The police department assigns work to officers according to their capacity. We never had any intention to harass any police official.Due to shortage of manpower we have to put in extra hours to keep the city crime free.”
Even teachers who were on election duty died due to long working hours. Polling officer, VaishaliBhale, the principal of a Navi Mumbai High school, died during the election duty on April 24. Also another teacher AnantSawale45, from Ulhasnagar had collapsed a day before the elections.
