West Bengal: Workers hack tea garden owner to death

Jalpaiguri (WB), Nov 23: A tea garden owner in Jalpaiguri district was on Saturday, Nov 22 allegedly hacked to death by the workers after talks to sort out the dispute over payment of wage arrears failed, a senior district official said.

The workers of Sonali Tea Estate in Mal Block of Jalpaiguri district were demanding the owner to clear their long pending wage arrears.

The owner, Rajesh Jhunjhunwala today went to the garden to talk to the workers regarding payment of their wage arrears, Jalpaiguri District Magistrate (DM) Pritha Sarkar said.

During the talks, the workers demanded that the owner should clear all their wage arrears today.

But the owner expressed his inability to clear the wage arrears today, the DM said.

As the wage arrear talks failed, the angry workers attacked Jhunjhunwala and allegedly hacked him to death, Sarkar said.

Jalpaiguri Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwala has rushed to the spot along with police force, the DM added.

PTI