MP Woman Cop Alleges Salary Withheld for 5 Months During Spinal Ailment

A woman Sub-Inspector posted in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district has gone public with an emotional appeal, alleging that her salary has been withheld for nearly five months even as she battles severe spinal pain.

Sub-Inspector Pooja Raghuvanshi, who has been on medical leave for several months, said in a video that she has been suffering from acute spinal pain for the past five to six months and is undergoing continuous treatment. She claimed that the pain makes strenuous field duty difficult and that she has repeatedly asked the department to temporarily assign her office-based work.

"I do not want to avoid duty. I want to work honestly, but because of the pain I am unable to perform strenuous field duties," she said, adding that she had requested office work until her condition improves.

Raghuvanshi alleged that Ashoknagar Superintendent of Police Rajiv Kumar Mishra withheld her salary for around five months, leaving her struggling to pay for treatment. She said she approached officers in Ashoknagar and senior officials at Police Headquarters, but no solution was found. She also spoke of the toll on her family, including her young daughter, and said she was under severe mental stress due to her illness and the departmental dispute.

In the video, Raghuvanshi said the ordeal had shown her how prolonged distress could push people toward extreme thoughts, and that she decided to make the matter public after repeated representations failed.

SP Mishra, however, said Raghuvanshi has been absent from duty for around seven months. He said the department received medical documents mentioning a spinal condition, and after she remained absent for about two months, she was asked to appear before a medical board in May. The board examined her and recommended 10 days of rest, he said, but she did not report back after that period.

"Her medical documents are on record. She should appear personally, submit an application and join duty. Her medical documents will be verified, and the matter can then be resolved appropriately," the SP said.