Wife takes Iwalekar’s body only after she’s given written assurance on job, compensation

Mumbai, 20 July-2014(Indilens Web Team): It was only after chief fire officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade gave her a written assurance on Saturday evening that Shubhangi Iwalekar, wife of the fireman who died on Friday from suffocation while fire fighting at Lotus Business Park in Andheri (west), agreed to receive the dead body of her husband to perform the last rites.

Wife takes Iwalekar’s body only after she’s given written assurance on job, compensation

Family members and relatives of the deceased, Nitin Iwalekar, attended the function held to pay last respects to the dead man at the fire brigade headquarters in Byculla on Saturday morning. After the ceremony they handed over Iwalekar’s body to the family.

“However, to our surprise, within half an hour they brought the body back to the headquarters and placed it here. They insisted that they be given the compensation today (Saturday) itself as they feared procedural delays,” said a fire official.

Shubhangi had earlier in the day refused to take possession of her husband’s body till she was given a written assurance by BMC officials that she would be given a govt job and her daughters would be provided for.
On Friday evening, the Mayor had announced that the fireman’s family would be given Rs 15 lakh as compensation and his next of kin a govt job.

On Saturday evening, Corporation officials finally gave Shubhangi a written assurance that she would be given a govt job and paid all the monetary compensation he deserves. However, the letter does not mention the amount, Rs 15 lakh as compensation, as announced on Friday.
After receiving the letter and verbal assurance from senior officials, Shubhangi took possession of the body