IRB new recruits pressured to join insurance against will

IMPHAL Feb 23: Many fresh recruits of the 7th IRB have been pressurized to join life insurance policies of Bajaj Allianz.
According to a reliable source , new recruits of the 7th IRB were allegedly informed by officers on their arrival at the 2nd MR that they should join the insurance to be in the good books of the Commanding Officer . Some of the recruits refused to sign the papers stating that they already have insurance policies and joining a new one will be a financial burden.
The recruits reported to 2nd MR battalion after selection awaiting further training at Pangei police training center last year. The source confirmed that by the middle of December 2010 , some senior officers approached the recruits that they must join Bajaj Allianz as per unofficial order of the CO. Many recruits refused to join and did not sign the official documents of the insurance company. They had felt that there are no formal bindings of joining an insurance policy and since no signature was given by them , their pay would be received in total.
As the recruits received their pay for the last three months recently , they were surprised that a sum of Rs 5,600 was deducted from their salary. Each recruit receives about Rs 12,501 as salary for a month. The recruits had felt cheated as the amount was deducted unofficially and without their consent, they had maintained that they did not join the insurance policy and should get their whole salary. They were informed by some senior officers that the signing papers would be sent to Pangei training centre , where the recruits are being trained at present. The source confirmed that Rs 10,000 is the total amount to be paid in two consecutive terms for a year and the deduction was for the first term . At present there are nearly 700 recruits of the 7th IRB and a hundred for the 2nd IRB at Pangei. Most are made to join the insurance under pressure, the source maintained.
According to sources , there is similar conduct in other areas where fresh recruits and junior sepoys are made to join policies and networks as the insurance agents are linked to the top officials. The Bajaj Insurance or TLC as commonly known gives benefits to the policy holder if they rope in other clients below them in a chain system similar to network marketing. If one policy holder has 300 or more persons below them, they get awarded with a variety incentives ranging from cars to gold ornaments along with bonus.