Mystery shrouds death of migrant labourer

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 18

A migrant labourer, working in a textile unit at Suffian Chowk, died under mysterious circumstances. Fellow workers of the deceased and office-bearers of the Textile Mazdoor Union maintain that he had died on the factory premises. His employer said since the labourer was not keeping well, he died outside.

Mazdoor union leaders said the two parties had reached a compromise. The employer would pay wife and relatives of deceased, they added. Union leaders demanded that all migrants be registered by the government so that in such incidents, their families could get enough compensation.

Jagdish Kumar, general secretary, Textile Mazdoor Union, said they had come to know that the family of the deceased would be paid Rs 2 lakh since he died on the factory premises.

“The employer has agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh to the family of the deceased. We are not sure about the compensation amount. A person has lost precious life. Rather than inquiring into the incident, the family is given money to remain mum,” he said.

Meanwhile, an industrialist wishing not to be quoted, said such incidents do happen and not just the employer or the police are involved, but leaders of workers, too, try to get their share and meagre amount is passed on to victim’s family. “Thousands of migrants working in factories are not registered. The Labour Department does not bother to collect data from industry. Such exploitation will continue,” he said.

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