Relatives of a government staffer, who died on Saturday morning while being treated for jaundice, have alleged that she had been forcibly sent for election duty despite being ill. The victim, Priti Lokesh Atram-Dhurve, worked in the state’s cultural affairs department.

While relatives have demanded action against those who denied her leave application, government officials claimed that they did not receive a leave application at all.

According to Dhurve’s family, she was diagnosed with jaundice on April 18 and subsequently submitted an application for leave. “Her application for leave was denied and she was posted on election duty on April 29. On polling day, she could not endure the heat and had to be hospitalised,” said Dhurve’s relative who did not want to be identified.

City collector Shivajirao Jondhale, in charge of elections in two Lok Sabha constituencies, said, “On polling day, when Dhurve said she was unwell, we arranged a taxi to take her to the railway station. When she started vomiting on the train, she was admitted to Kasturba Hospital.”

Jondhale has denied the allegations. “Dhurve was on election duty at Sewri. Had she told us about her illness, we would not have put her on election duty. Since she died during the election process, I have put forth a proposal to give her family a compensation of Rs 15 lakh,” said Jondhale.

Dhurve died while treatment at 3.45am on Saturday, and is survived by her husband and twin children.

First Published: May 12, 2019 01:44 IST