Jute mill workers block railway tracks in Bengal

Barrackpore, Oct 25 (UNI) Train services in the Sealdah-Naihati section of Eastern Railway were disrupted for more than three hours this morning following a blockade on the tracks raised by an irate mob of jute mill workers near the Naihati Railway station.

Government Railway Police said the mob hurled stones on the intervening district officials and security personnel following which police lathicharged the demonstrating workers to remove the blockade.

A large number of workers of Budia Jute Mill at Naihati in North 24 Parganas raised the blockade to protest the suspension of work in the Jute mill declared by the mill management.

More than 2,800 employees and workers were rendered jobless this morning as Personnel Administrative Manager of the Mill Nani Gopal Kundu issued suspension of work notice, claiming that the company was compelled to suspend work in the wake of huge losses incurred in recent times.

However, the mill kept pending a substantial amount of wages and other monetary benefits to its workers and today was the pay day, CITU union leader in the mill Biplab Ganguly alleged.

The union demanded immediate payment of arrears and resumption of work in the mill.

UNI XC DPM SP SSC1352