Howrah: PSU boss assaulted by TMC workers, unit temporarily shut

The Howrah unit of the Burn Standard Company Limited, a central government PSU, shut down after members of the Trinamool Congress- led employee union allegedly dragged out the General Manager Santanu Sarkar and Deputy General Manager Sushanta Bhattacharya and assaulted them. 
 
As many as 175 casual workers of the Burn Standard Company have been agitating outside the factory gates since February 11. They were on a hunger strike demanding re-hiring of workers, who were laid off last year by a contractor who quit due to a fall in wagon orders.
 
Members of the employee union led by the local Trinamool Congress councillor of Howrah Municipal Corporation met senior officials of the company over the casual workers' demands. It was during this discussion that MMiCs Gautam Chowdhury, Santanu Banerjee, Shyamal Mitra and Howrah Municipal Corporation chairman Aurobinda Guha barged into the General Manager’s office and allegedly assaulted him. 
 
Following this incident, the PSU has issued a 'Suspension of Work' notice, leaving hundreds of workers in the lurch of unemployment. While the assaulted have filed an FIR against the accused, police is yet to make any arrests. 
 
“The matter is being investigated. We have not arrested anyone so far in connection with the case,” said Nishat Parvez, Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Howrah City Police.