Dibrugarh: Tension gripped Namtola Tea Estate in Assam’s Charaideo district on Wednesday after the death of a tea garden worker triggered protests by fellow labourers, who suspended work and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
The deceased has been identified as Ishwar Munda, a worker who was reportedly engaged in leaf-weighing duties at Section No. 5 of the tea estate on Tuesday.
According to workers, Munda did not return home after completing his duty, prompting family members and local residents to launch a search.
“When Ishwar did not return home after work, his family members and local villagers began searching for him. During the search, his body was found inside the tea garden premises,” a worker said.
Following the discovery, personnel from the Namtola Police Outpost reached the spot, recovered the body and sent it to Charaideo District Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The incident sparked outrage among tea garden workers. On Wednesday morning, a large number of labourers halted work and staged a protest, demanding clarity on the circumstances surrounding Munda’s death.
Protesters alleged negligence on the part of the tea estate management, questioning why supervisors and sardars on duty had not informed the worker’s family when he failed to return after working hours. They demanded a fair and transparent inquiry into the incident.
Meanwhile, the local unit of the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) submitted a memorandum to the tea estate authorities, seeking a proper investigation into the death and adequate compensation for the bereaved family.
Police have initiated an investigation, while the exact cause of death is expected to be ascertained after the post-mortem report is received. Further investigation is underway.
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