Chevella Bus Accident Victim Family’s Compensation Goes Missing In Bureaucracy
The Tandur MLA handed over two cheques of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to Dasthagiri’s first wife, Haseena Begum. However, the village head had taken away the cheques from Hassena as another woman was also claiming to be Dasthagiri’s wife and was seeking compensation.
HYDERABAD: Two weeks after the Chevella bus accident claimed at least 19 lives, the family of TGSRTC driver Dasthagiri Baba is still running from one office to another to withdraw the Rs 7 lakh compensation announced for them.
Reason being the mandal revenue officer (MRO) informed Haseena Begum that the cheque is with the village head of Basheerabad. However, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, the MRO said that the cheque is with Dasthagiri's mother.
The Tandur MLA handed over two cheques of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to Dasthagiri’s first wife, Haseena Begum. However, the village head had taken away the cheques from Hassena as another woman was also claiming to be Dasthagiri’s wife and was seeking compensation.
The village head, therefore, decided that the money must be divided between Hassena, the victim’s mother and the other wife.
“We were already in shock from what happened,” Haseena told the Deccan Chronicle. “But the struggle to get the compensation has made it worse,” she added.
She says officials have made the family “run around” for basic documents such as the death certificate and family certificate. While officials at the Basheerabad mandal revenue office claimed these documents were mandatory for claiming the amount. Chevella MRO B Krishnaiah said the money can be claimed once the cheque is issued and it is with her mother-in-law.
When she approached the Basheerabad MRO, Haseena was told to get both certificates from the Chevella office. But Chevella MRO B Krishnaiah told Deccan Chronicle that he was “not the competent authority” to issue the death certificate, and redirected the family to the village secretary. Now the family is caught between unclear procedure and administrative confusion.
“For 17 days we have been going from one office to another. Nobody is helping us,” Haseena said, sounding exhausted. “We have two children. We are not even refusing to share the money. But they are not letting us get it at all.”
She also added that there was no clarity on who currently possesses the cheque. “The village head told us the cheque was with the MRO, while the MRO said it was with the village head. We do not know who to reach out to now.”
Initially, Basheerabad MRO Shaheeda Begum told this newspaper that the online compensation system requires the death and family certificates, and that the amount would be released once these were submitted. However, she later contacted Deccan Chronicle to say that her office would “send a letter to the bank and get the compensation issued within two days”, adding that she would “take care of” the certificate requirements.
For now, the family says they can only wait, as compensation meant for immediate relief remains stuck in a bureaucratic loop.
