Shimla: Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Vijay Kumar of the Himachal Pradesh Police Service continues to await release of his withheld pay even after a medical board at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, validated his spinal condition.
Medical confirmation and ongoing treatment
The three-member panel — comprising senior specialists in neurology, orthopaedics and neurosurgery — examined Kumar on 22 September 2026 and confirmed a diagnosis of coccydynia, a painful disorder of the tailbone. The board noted that recovery timelines vary and response to treatment can be prolonged, according to documents obtained under the Right to Information Act.
Official records indicate Kumar has been under medical care since March 2026, receiving treatment at multiple institutions. A pain-relief procedure, a Ganglion Impar Block, was administered on 19 May at IGMC. At the time of reporting, he is admitted to PGIMER, Chandigarh, for further management.
"I am undergoing treatment at PGIMER Chandigarh for over 25 days, and it is becoming difficult as salary was withheld; the salary order has been delayed by the"
Government directions and administrative steps
Following the IGMC board's findings, the Himachal Pradesh Home Department instructed the police administration to release the withheld salary. The Home Department's orders specified that pay for 1–13 August 2026 should be drawn against the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Shimla, while salary from 14 August 2026 onwards was to be drawn against the Deputy Superintendent of Police, 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn), Sakoh, Kangra district.
These instructions were routed to the Controller (Finance & Accounts) and the Department of Personnel and Training, and police headquarters issued follow-up directions to the concerned units for disbursement. Despite this, the salary has not reached the officer.
Local impact and administrative questions
The case highlights procedural and welfare questions within Himachal's police administration: why, despite specific orders and clear routing to finance and personnel wings, the pay remained withheld; whether further medical documentation was sought by any unit; and how long an officer undergoing prolonged treatment can go without remuneration.
Police personnel depend on timely salaries for family and medical expenses, particularly when undergoing extended treatment at tertiary centres outside the state. The delay also raises concerns about implementation of departmental orders and coordination among Home Department, finance, personnel and police headquarters.
Where things stand
As per available records, the following timeline and institutions are linked to Kumar's treatment and the administrative process:
- March 2026 onwards: Initial treatment at multiple hospitals and referral centres.
- 19 May 2026: Ganglion Impar Block carried out at IGMC, Shimla.
- 22 September 2026: Special medical board at IGMC confirmed coccydynia diagnosis.
- Post-board: Home Department directed salary disbursal with specific drawing instructions; orders sent to Controller (F&A) and DoPT; Police HQ issued follow-up directions.
- Current: Officer admitted to PGIMER Chandigarh; salary yet to be credited.
| Key date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 2026 | Begins treatment at various hospitals |
| 19 May 2026 | Ganglion Impar Block at IGMC, Shimla |
| 22 Sep 2026 | Medical board at IGMC confirms coccydynia |
| Aug 2026 (1–13) | Salary to be drawn against DSP (HQ), Shimla |
| Aug 2026 (from 14) | Salary to be drawn against DSP, 2nd IRBn, Sakoh |
What remains unanswered
Official correspondence shows the Home Department's approval and the routing of instructions, but the arresting fact remains that disbursement has not occurred. The files indicate that follow-up directions were issued by police headquarters to the units responsible for payment. It is not publicly clear whether the delay is due to administrative oversight, pending clerical formalities, or additional verification requests by any arm of the administration.
The episode underlines the need for prompt administrative action in cases where medical boards confirm incapacity or prolonged treatment, especially for government employees whose families may depend on monthly wages.
Requests for comment were not included in the available records. The documentation reviewed consists of the medical board report and the sequence of departmental orders recorded under the Right to Information Act.
