Violence in Barak Valley tea garden leaves 13 injured

Silchar, Jun 21 (UNI) 13 people, including manager and assistant manager, were injured yesterday at Roopacherra Tea Estate in Hailakandi district of Barak Valley when a workers' agitation turned violent.

The workers were protesting against hike in amount of tealeaf by the management meant for plucking by the workers since Sunday.

Police today said at about 8.30 AM yesterday hundreds of workers started dharna and shouting slogan in front of the manager's office in the garden.

The workers were of the view that they were not ready to pluck an amount of 24 kg of tealeaf daily, instead of 21 kg. The management with effect from Sunday had ordered that workers have to pluck 24 kg of tea leaf.

When manager Sumit Sarkar rejected their appeal, the workers, mostly women, entered the office of the manager and ransacked the office followed by manhandle of Sarkar, his assistant Uttam Chakraborty and three other officials present there.

Five officials, including two managers, were seriously injured in the attack. One security guard had also been injured in the incident.

To control the situation tea garden security forces used batons to disperse the mob. Katlicherra police station sources said security forces also fired three rounds in the air to control the situation.

The action of the tea garden security forces left six workers, all women, injured. While Sarkar and Chakraborty had been admitted into Silchar medical Collage Hospital, the injured workers were being treated in the local hospital.

After hearing about the incident Hailakandi SP Ananda Kumar Tiwari along with contigent of security forces rushed to the garden.

Although there was tension in the garden, the situation was under control.

UNI XC SJC KLC1611