Kolkata, March 2 – The West Bengal government announced on Monday that each of the five workers who were electrocuted in the Dinhata area of Cooch Behar district would receive a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, and one member of their family would be offered a job.
North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha, Cooch Behar District Magistrate Raju Mishra, and Superintendent of Police Sandeep Karra met with the workers' families and made the announcement. The state government has expressed its support to the bereaved families.
"The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has been informed about this incident. She has stated that a compensation of Rs 2 lakh will be given to the families of the deceased workers, and one of their family members will be offered a job," the minister said.
The accident occurred at a stone crushing factory in the Gadkura area of Dinhata Village II Gram Panchayat, where several workers are employed to break stones, on Sunday. After finishing work, the workers were pushing a welding machine from one part of the factory to another, when the machine came into contact with a 11,000-volt high-tension wire passing over the factory. The five workers died instantly after being electrocuted.
The deceased workers have been identified as Mukul Barman, a resident of the Baisguri area of Dinhata, Raju Sen, a resident of Okrabari, Mithun Pal, a resident of Burirhat, Suman Barman, a resident of the area adjacent to the Boys Club in Dinhata city, and Sanjay Barman, a resident of the Shingijani area of Bhetaguri.
Three other workers were seriously injured and admitted to the Dinhata Subdivision Hospital. Their condition is critical, according to police.