Ankit Keshri's family to receive compensation

The family of Ankit Keshri, who died in April after an on-field collision, will soon get a compensation of Rs 25 lakh under the BCCI's group insurance policy. The BCCI has dispatched a cheque to Ankit's home association, the Cricket Association of Bengal.

Ankit died on April 20 after colliding with a team-mate while fielding as a substitute during East Bengal's Division One quarter-final match against Bhowanipore Cricket Club in a CAB tournament.

"The insurance company has delivered the cheque to the BCCI office. It will now be mailed to the CAB, who will hand it over to the family of the deceased cricketer," Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's general manager of game development, told ESPNcricinfo.

The development was news to Raj Kumar Keshri, Ankit's father, who said he was unaware of the insurance cover: "I had no idea. No one including CAB has told us so far. We are grateful to the BCCI."

Ankit's family recently spoke to The Cricket Monthly on their ordeal. During his meeting with the CAB officials, Raj Kumar expressed one of his wishes was that he should not be forced to ask for financial assistance. He said that so far, the family had got Rs 10 lakh each from CAB and Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rs five lakh from East Bengal.

According to Shetty, the BCCI provides accidental insurance cover for all the senior and junior cricketers on the domestic circuit. The affiliate units have to provide a list of 35 cricketers for each age group (Under-16, Under-19, Under-23 and Ranji Trophy) at the start of a season and the BCCI provides them accidental insurance.

Since Ankit had been shortlisted by CAB as a promising cricketer, the BCCI processed claiming the accidental insurance and followed it up with the service provider till it was approved. "For an accidental death, like the unfortunate incident with Ankit, the maximum claim amount is Rs 25 lakh. For injuries during Ranji Trophy, a player can claim up to Rs 50,000 per week for a maximum of 52 weeks," Shetty said.

According to Subir Ganguly, the joint secretary of the CAB, the BCCI cheque had not yet arrived. "I also heard it from the BCCI on the group insurance. We are expecting the cheque in the next few days," Ganguly said.