NCP seeks ‘actual’ number of fatalities due to sunstroke through RTI

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on April 21 said that they are seeking information about the “actual” number of fatalities due to sunstroke at the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony held on April 16 through the Right to Information Act.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on April 21 said that they are seeking information about the “actual” number of fatalities due to sunstroke at the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony held on April 16 through the Right to Information Act.

He once again demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths despite Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appointing a one-member committee of Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Nitin Keer to probe the deaths. “We are seeking information about the incident, including the actual number of fatalities, through the RTI,” Mr. Pawar said in Pune.

According to officials, 14 persons, including 10 women, died of sunstroke during and after the event to confer Maharashtra Bhushan award to social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave away the award.

Mr. Pawar said that the one-member committee should probe why the event was held in the afternoon and why no pandals (tents) were erected on the premises. “These are serious issues,” he said.

On April 21, the NCP leader urged Governor Ramesh Bais for a judicial inquiry into the deaths and said the Shinde-Fadnavis government was responsible for the deaths, and it (government) should be booked for culpable homicide. He urged the Governor to direct the State to initiate a probe by a retired judge.

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“We have not yet received the correct numbers. We know the numbers announced by the State Government. There are people who are talking about reasons like sunstroke, lack of food, etc., in a hush-hush manner,” he said, adding that post-mortem of the victims has been done.