GRP ‘refuses’ to file FIR in Meru driver death case

KALYAN/THANE: After the Kalyan GRP initiated the process to file an FIR against a fleet cab company following the death of a driver who collapsed on Sunday after being told that his services had been terminated, DCP Deepak Devraj reportedly arrived at the GRP outpost late on Monday evening to stop the procedure and allegedly asked the family to “settle” the matter with the company.The victim’s family alleged that the GRP later filed only an accidental death report in the case.
The family of Rajkumar Mishra (39) had initially refused to receive his body from Thane’s Shivaji hospital unless Meru Cabs gave “adequate compensation”. Once the GRP had started FIR proceedings against the company, the family relented and had taken the body for cremation. However, after the latest development, they are now refusing to cremate the body.
Once news of the police refusing to register the FIR spread, hundreds of Meru Cab drivers gathered in front of the GRP outpost and sat in silent protest.
Mishra had gone to his native place in Dhanapur district in Uttar Pradesh and was delayed in reporting back to work, following which the company allegedly terminated his services.
Earlier in the day, the GRP had recorded the statement of Mishra’s brother Ramkumar and his relative Rajdev Tiwari. “We have started the procedure for filing an FIR and once we record the statement of the victim’s family, we will check what section can be applied,” Anant Rane, senior police inspector of Kalyan GRP, had said.
Mishra is survived by three daughters and wife in Ambivli.
Siddharth Pahwa, CEO of Meru Cabs, had said, “Some vested interests are trying to politicize the issue and not allowing our representatives to meet them. We understand their sorrow and would like to ensure the children get better education. We do not want to put the family under any financial duress and will try to work out a solution.”