Bengal govt to provide compensation of Rs 2 lakh to family of person who died in clash

The Mamata Banerjee government will provide a compensation of around Rs two lakh to the family of the person who died in a clash while opposing construction of a power grid sub-station in Bhangor area of South 24 Parganas district.

According to a senior official in the Secretariat, the West Bengal government would provide a compensation of around Rs two lakh to the family of Mafijul Ali Khan who died in the clash on November 17.

Asked whether any member of the family would be offered a job by the state government, the official said that was also on the cards and the chief minister would take a call on that.

"Very likely they will be offered a job... But it's not final and the chief minister will take a call on that," the officer told PTI.

One person was killed and another injured in the area as clashes broke out between outsiders and residents of the area when villagers opposed construction of a Power Grid sub-station in the area.

Following the protests of the villagers in the area, the state government halted the project.

Meanwhile, the local protestors today demanded CBI probe into the incident.

Banerjee had yesterday instructed the force to identify the "outsiders" who had provoked the people and flush them out even as stary incidents of violence were reported.

Banerjee held a high-level meeting with top police officers, including the director general of police and Kolkata police commissioner during the day and said no one should be allowed to provoke people and law should be strictly enforced.

State Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, had said the state government would hold a meeting with the agitated villagers and farmers after the situation normalised.

"The situation is under control in Bhangar. Till now, there is no news of any second person dying there. And there is no news of any protests anywhere there also," he told PTI.

The central transmission utility, PowerGrid Corp has sought cooperation from all stakeholders for completion of the sub-station amid protests by certain sections of the local people.

"Considering the advantages of the Rajarhat 400/220kV sub-station project, Power Grid Corp solicits cooperation from all stakeholders," Power Grid Corp had said in a statement.

--PTI