Raipur: In a heartfelt gesture of honour and support, the Chhattisgarh government has appointed Sneha Giripunje, wife of the late Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akash Rao Giripunje, as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on compassionate grounds.
She has been conditionally posted to the Chandrakhuri Police Training Academy, with nine stipulations attached to her appointment.
The official order was issued recently.
The decision was taken earlier by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s cabinet, in recognition of ASP Giripunje’s sacrifice during an anti-Naxal operation in Sukma district.
Akash Rao Giripunje, Additional Superintendent of Police, was martyred on June 9 while on foot patrol in a Maoist-affected area. He was attempting to prevent Maoist activity during a Bharat Bandh called by the CPI (Maoist) when he fell victim to a pressure-activated IED (improvised explosive device) explosion.
He was immediately taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Said had expressed profound grief over his death.
His death marked the first martyrdom of a senior police officer in Chhattisgarh since 2009, when then Superintendent of Police Vinod Choubey was killed in a Maoist ambush in Rajnandgaon.
Sneha Giripunje’s appointment as DSP has been treated as a special case, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting the families of martyrs.
The appointment includes standard conditions for compassionate postings: mandatory training, medical and character verification, and adherence to service rules, including the contributory pension scheme.
A bond must be signed prior to joining, and failure to complete training may result in termination or reimbursement of training expenses.
In a recent interview, Sneha shared her motivation for joining the police force. “I could have opted for another department, but I chose the police. It’s the department I understand best. He never saw me as weak. I accept all challenges. The uniform will always keep Saheb close to me,” she said.
(IANS)
