Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: The Tripura High Court ordered the state government to pay family pension to the widow of a fallen fireman. It also directed officials to grant a compassionate appointment to his daughter. Justice Biswajit Palit ruled in favor of Moushumi Das and her daughter, Eshika Das. The move mandates full compliance within four months.
Eshika’s father, Prasenjit Das, worked as a Leading Fireman for the Fire and Emergency Services Department. He died while on duty on December 20, 2024. His family later petitioned the court after the state failed to act on his pension and the daughter's job application. The state confirmed Eshika met all requirements for the Die-in-Harness Scheme after she filed her request on March 17, 2025.
Bureaucrats stalled the hiring process. The Director of Fire and Emergency Services forwarded the job proposal on July 7, 2025, but the Finance Department claimed there were no open spots. Officials suggested waiting for a vacancy or seeking a role in a different department. The court rejected these excuses.
Regarding the withheld benefits, the judge cleared the air. He stated, “for outstanding liability of the deceased there is no scope as per law to withhold the family pension.” While the state already paid Rs 9,15,053 in gratuity and other funds, it had held back leave salary and insurance cash to cover the deceased worker’s debts. The court ruled this illegal.
The state must now find Eshika a government role, even if it falls outside the fire department. Officials have four months to finalize the pension and the hiring process. The case highlighted a clear departmental misunderstanding of the law.
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