No pension dues: Retired SI dies in Khammam due to financial distress

A retired Sub-Inspector of Police died in Khammam allegedly due to illness aggravated by financial distress caused by delayed pension and retirement dues. His family and police association members urged the State government to address long-pending dues of retired personnel.

Khammam: In Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s native district of Khammam, a retired Sub-Inspector of Police (SI) died due to illness and financial distress caused by non-payment of his pension dues.

According to family members, K Maisaiah, who served in the Armed Police wing in the district, retired from services in February last year and was waiting for his retirement benefits since then. The family was facing severe financial difficulties as he was yet to be paid his retirement dues of about Rs.60 lakh.

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Meanwhile, the health of Maisaiah and his wife Bhagyamma was affected by kidney and heart ailments. Both of them were admitted to a private hospital in Khammam a few days ago and Bhagyamma was shifted to Hyderabad for better medical treatment. As Maisaiah’s condition deteriorated he died after midnight on Wednesday.

Retired Police Officers’ Association president R Radhakrishna Murthy and general secretary R Venkata Narayana paid part of the bill, while the hospital management waived off the remaining bill considering the family’s poor financial condition. Association honorary president ex-MLA Ramulu Naik extended a financial assistance of Rs25,000 from the association’s mutual cooperative fund to perform the last rites of the retired SI on Thursday.

“The retired SI’s family faced financial difficulties due to non-payment of his retirement dues. The State government should respond and address the issue being faced by a large number of retired personnel,” the association leaders demanded.