West Bengal: TMC delegation meets families of stampede victims in Asansol, assures help

KOLKATA, (PTI): A five-member TMC delegation on Sunday met the families of those killed in the stampede in Bengal’s Asansol, and assured all possible assistance to them.

The delegation, led by state industry minister Shashi Panja, also extended financial help to the families.

Six people have been arrested for their alleged role in triggering a stampede on Wednesday during a blanket distribution programme of the BJP, which left two women and a 14-year-old girl dead and five injured.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who had also attended the religious event, left before the blanket distribution initiative began.

The police had said that no permission was given for the blanket distribution programme.

The Mamata Banerjee government had earlier announced Rs 2 lakh as compensation for each of the families of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Panja, during the visit, blamed local BJP leaders, including former Asansol mayor Jitendra Tewary and his councillor wife Chaitali, for the tragedy, stating that ”they had distributed tokens for blankets among 5,000 people but the venue had space to accommodate just 500 people”.

She flayed Adhikari for attending a religious event.

”BJP leaders, in a bid to woo people and get votes, organised a programme with minimum concern for safety and security of human lives. Can they bring back the 14-year-old girl, and two other women whose deaths left their families shattered,” she said.

The TMC team, also comprising ministers Babul Supriyo, Partha Bhowmik and Malay Ghatak, along with TMC state youth wing president Saayoni Ghosh, were seen consoling the relatives of the deceased.

”We are all there to help you. Our workers will be regularly on your side,” Ghatak, the state’s law minister, was heard telling the family members.

BJP leader Jitendra Tewary, however, criticised the Bengal’s ruling party for ”politicising the incident”.

”At this hour of grief, they are crowding residences of the bereaved families and disturbing their peace,” he claimed. (PTI)