Seventeen labourers of Dikom tea estate near Dibrugarh in Upper Assam have been arrested.
The labourers have been held for ‘roughing up’ the doctor, pharmacist and manager of the estate over the death of a woman plucker during thunderstorm recently.
“We have arrested 17 accused in connection with the manhandling incident at Dikom tea estate. A case No – 81/19 under Section 143/147/325/427/506/307 of IPC has been registered against them at Dikom police outpost,” informed a police official.
The garden management announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased.
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The management of the tea estate had declared an indefinite lockout after assault on the manager, doctor and pharmacist of the estate.
The woman identified as Jhalo Surjan was crushed to death when a tree got uprooted during a thunderstorm and fell on her.
Jhalo was plucking leaves when the tree fell on her. Three co-workers – Mangri Keot, Manik Murah and Mamta Murah – suffered serious injuries.
The labourers got enraged as the doctor “did not send the ambulance on time due to which the woman plucker died”.
Irate labourers later thrashed the doctor so severely that he had to be admitted to the hospital.
It was only after the police arrived that the situation came under control. The garden management filed an FIR against the labourers involved in the “thrashing” incident and declared a lockout of the garden as the labourers refused to work.