JUDGMENT :

ARUN R. PEDNEKER, J.

1) Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. By consent of parties, heard finally.

2) By the present writ petition, the petitioners are challenging the decision of respondent/State of Maharashtra, withholding the benefits, to which they are entitled vide Government Resolution (for short ‘GR’) dated 29.11.2008. Petitioner no. 1 is the mother and petitioner no. 2 is the wife of deceased Sanjay Santosh Patil. Late Sanjay Patil was serving as a Head Constable with the State Reserve Police Force, Mumbai and he died while discharging duties in naxalite area in Gadchiroli district on 17.7.2009.

3) Brief facts, leading to this petition, are as under :-

On 15.07.2009, deceased Sanjay Patil along with three others were on patrolling duty at B.R.O. Camp at Medapalli, Taluka Bhamragad, District Gadchiroli. On the relevant date, they were travelling in the Border Road Organisation’s tipper truck for carrying out a rescue operation. After finishing their rescue operation, on their way back in the tipper truck in which they were travelling, they were swept away in the river and in the said accident, Sanjay Patil, Police Sub Inspector Dhede, Constables Harishchandra and Gane