Mamata Banerjee blames CPI-M, BJP for killing of jute mill CEO

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the opposition Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the killing of a chief executive officer of a jute mill at Bhadreswar in the state's Hooghly District.

The CEO of North Brook Jute Mill, SK Maheswari, was beaten up by the agitated workers of the factory on Sunday, when he rejected their demand for an increase in the weekly working hours so that they are paid more.

General Manager Kiranjit Singh said, "There was sudden brick throwing, we were in a meeting, and didn't see who they were, Maheswari was badly hurt, I also got hurt badly along with our security men."

The workers were paid according to the hours of work put in by them and demanded that the weekly working hours be increased to 40 from the present 25, besides submitting a list of other demands.

A worker of the mill, Toton Ali, said, "In a meeting held in the morning, the management said from 1st July, there will be work for 3 days and for 3 days the factory will remain closed. Workers got agitated and and started throwing bricks, iron rods and sticks wherein I also got hurt."

The angry workers allegedly pelted stones at Maheshwari and thrashed him with iron rods.

The CEO, who suffered serious injuries, was taken to a private nursing home, where he succumbed. He was beaten to death yesterday allegedly by workers on the factory premises.

Hooghly Superintendent of Police said, the workers were demanding increase in weekly working hours to get paid more.

The BJP has accused the state government of failing to maintain law and order.

BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh said, "The CEO who had passed away, first, I want to give my condolence to his family members, who died in Hooghly after lynching by workers of the jute mill."